How Can I Help?
Virgo insists on visible and measurable solutions. As a reader recently commented on my blog, “I have been feeling more political, and less inclined to believe that we can change the world for the better through ‘New Agey’ means.” I believe to some extent in the power of ritual, in whatever form it takes, whether prayer, chanting, candle-burning, or other well-intentioned gestures to invisible forces. But with several planets in Virgo, I confess that I have stronger faith in the power of practical action to change the world. Meditate, do your rituals, beseech the gods for mercy… and then roll up your sleeves and get to work….
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Uranus in Aries: Shock to the System
First, Egypt. Then, Christchurch, and Libya. Now, Japan. The shocks are coming fast and furious, and now that Uranus, the Great Awakener, has entered Aries (March 11, 2011 – May 2018), we can reasonably expect to see more of the same – especially as Uranus begins its series of square aspects to Pluto.
How are you holding up?
My own little corner of the world has been extraordinarily busy, though not nearly as dramatically and unpleasantly so as in other parts of the world. I spent the first part of last week in a whirlwind of preparation for an event we hosted at our house, and by Thursday I was out of gas, laid out on the couch feeling really ill. Friday and Saturday were a near-total wash. Today, I’m back to work but really struggling to move forward.
Part of the problem is that I seem to have lost the knack for sleeping. My mind is filled with too many video images of boats on top of buildings, with too many breathless newscasters debating whether or not Japan’s nuclear plants are on the brink of a complete meltdown, too many internet headlines screaming about Gaddafi and Wisconsin. Usually I have no problem falling asleep, just trouble staying that way. But last night, my body felt as though it were plugged into a wall socket, like it wanted to get up and run around the block but at the same time, was absurdly exhausted.
Falling asleep was out of the question.
Uranus, newly in Aries, is making a lot of aspects to my birth chart, and it’s sitting together with my progressed Moon, opposed my progressed Sun. I’ve got too many psychic appliances plugged in to my nervous system, too many irons in the fire, too many claims on my time, attention, and heart; my circuits are overloading and my battery has melted down. Far away from the epic events that are shaking up our world, I nevertheless feel drained by them, worried and heartsick and tired.
Who would have guessed that I – so insular, the stereotypical American isolationist – was connected by some mysterious, invisible apparatus to …. Libya? That somewhere inside of me, emotional tentacles are apparently attached to Japan, a country I’ve never had the least interest in even visiting? That I cared so passionately about labor unions?
All along, I figured Uranus moving into Aries would shock us, shake us, and waken us. I just didn’t know that the Great Awakener would literally deprive me of the rest I need to sort it all out.
How about you: Is Uranus in Aries keeping you up nights?
Beginners Corner: Cusps and interceptions
“I am totally stymied by cusps and interceptions,” confided a reader in a recent email. Let’s see if we can sort out this out for you, shall we?
Cusps and Signs
Pa
rt of the problem is the term cusp. Specifically, misuse of the term by people who greedily lay claim to two Sun signs. You may not realize this, but when you talk about “your sign,” you’re actually saying, “The sign of the zodiac through which the Sun appeared to be moving at the time of my birth.” (Didn’t know you were so smart, did you?)
Problem is, because the earth’s annual journey around the Sun doesn’t take precisely one calendar year, the date the Sun moves from one sign to another changes (within one day) from year to year. So if you were born on March 20, then yeah, you might be a Pisces or you might be an Aries.
But let’s be clear: When you were born, the Sun was in one sign, or it was in the next. The only way to know for sure which one is to find out what time you were born and calculate your birth chart. Now yes, if you were born within, say, an hour of the moment when the center of the Sun actually enters a sign, then okay – maybe you could make the case that you are “born on the cusp.” Otherwise, one Sun sign per customer!
And now for something completely different: Cusps and Houses
Since most astrologers wouldn’t be caught dead anywhere near this “born on the cusp” business, when we use the term “cusps” you can be pretty sure that we’re not talking about signs at all. Rather, we’re referring to the lines that separate houses in the horoscope, much as fences separate properties from one another:
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New Moon in Pisces: Illusion of Happiness
You can listen to an audio podcast of this post here.
Evidently, recent research suggests that the happiest marriages are between people who are delusional about each other. I think there may be something to this theory. Happy couples are happy, I suspect, because each believes the other is enchanting – often despite clear evidence to the contrary. Love is blind, and all that.
And really, doesn’t all happiness have an element of denial about it? People are generally about as happy as they choose to be, and choosing to be happy means ignoring what is unpleasant. Naturally, it doesn’t take an astrologer long to make the association between happy people and Neptune (the planet of illusion) and Pisces, a sign of compassion, tolerance, and idealism.
As many of you know, a good deal of my work as an astrologer consists of choosing astrologically fortuitous dates for couples to get married. I’ve always liked to include planets in Pisces or in good aspect to Neptune in my wedding date electional charts, whenever possible. Whether or not you think the delusion theory holds water, planets in Pisces or in aspect to Neptune imply a compassionate, forgiving dynamic in the marriage – as opposed to, say, a chart heavy in Virgo, Scorpio, or Capricorn (noble signs, all; but unfailingly discriminating, honest, and realistic). Clear communication, agreement about money and children, and physical chemistry, are all elements of a good marriage; but a couple of pairs of rose-colored glasses don’t hurt, either.
So the chart for this New Moon – with a staggering five planets in Pisces – caught my eye when I first went hunting for good wedding dates in 2011. Even better, it includes a beautiful Venus/Jupiter sextile and stabilizing Venus/Saturn trine. (Better still? March 9, when the Moon is in Taurus.) Marriages that begin now may be a little unrealistic, yes; but I believe they have a better than average shot at happiness, prosperity, and stability.
For one thing, Venus in Aquarius suggests an egalitarian, convivial approach to love. Aquarius is the sign of friendship, and our friends are people who encourage us to be ourselves, and who love us just as we are, without the need for illusion. Perhaps Venus in Aquarius at this New Moon offers the potential for partners whom we don’t just believe are wonderful, but who actually are, in reality, well-suited to us. Venus’ sextile to Jupiter in feisty Aries suggests fiery unions of enthusiasm, courage, and zest. And Venus’ trine to Saturn in Libra symbolizes a sturdy, realistic relationship framework to support all that sweet, unconditional affection – without squelching Pisces’ lyrical illusions.
Even if you’re not getting married – or even, necessarily, in love – at this rosy New Moon, choose happiness. The world is calling you to the altar of true and unconditional regard. Let yourself, and others, off the hook. Tell your friends how much you love them, exactly as they are. Give your colleagues some Twitter and Facebook mojo. Give your sweetie a belated Valentine, and remember to tell him or her how deeply they are loved.
Those of us made of prickly stuff and accustomed to wearing thick armor can find it threatening to surrender our weapons and trust gentleness, to wade in nonjudgmental waters. Being right, being critical, and holding grudges satisfy the ego, and they can be justified in a dozen ways if you wish. But as warm, empathetic, joyful Pisces reminds us, withholding your love and approval does nothing whatsoever to make you – or anyone else – particularly happy.
Progressed Moon changing signs: Empty spaces
We spent the last week transforming the front bedroom of the house – which had disintegrated into a cluttered, chaotic “catch all” - into a guest room. My handy spouse repaired the stained glass windows, which were in desperate need of new latches and new seals, took apart the built-in bookcase and reconfigured it to fit another wall, and built a headboard for the bed. I painted everything that wasn’t nailed down, and quite a lot that was.
In the process of clearing the room, we got pretty ruthless about culling old, unneeded stuff. Our trash and recycle bins are filled to the brim. Several old but usable pieces were set out at the curb with “free” signs and taken away to new homes within hours.
Finally, late yesterday we moved the queen sized guest bed out of my office and into its pretty new home. Now my father’s round, oak table occupies the center of my office, and thanks to Jonny (with an assist from Ikea) I have a bright red bookcase for my collection of astrology books (which, now that I see them all in one place, is startlingly large). Best of all, after many years of squeezing around the guest bed, which practically filled the room, I have space to walk around in here.
It feels glorious.
Except it also feels… well, kind of empty. Coincidentally, my progressed Moon sits today at 29.58 Pisces, the very last, “finishing up” minutes of the zodiac’s last sign. Along with the transiting Sun, Mercury, Mars, and of course Uranus all in Pisces, I really have that feeling of “letting go” and clearing out space, physically and emotionally. To some extent, I suspect the end of any progressed planetary cycles feels a bit that way, as we transition from one mode of experiencing the world and into another. But Pisces, in particular, symbolizes the soul’s unconscious, where we process random images, thoughts, and feelings as though in a dream state.
Newly empty spaces – empty of old junk, or of things, people, or experiences that we would have preferred to keep a bit longer – can feel like hunger, uncomfortable and anxiety producing. The impulse is strong to rush to fill them with something – anything. But with the progressed Moon entering Aries, I know that soon enough I’ll be happy to be traveling lighter – able to move faster and more efficiently toward a more energetic future. I can hardly wait.
With so many planets currently in Pisces, are you processing and making space for new things in your life?
Love the rock.
The other day I’m hiking around the World Famous San Diego Zoo (right? you folks in South Africa, weigh in: have you heard of this zoo? Is it really world famous?) and on my way to visit the lions I pass some bears. The weather’s nice, I’m in no particular hurry, and I haven’t really taken any time to look at the bears before, so I slow down for a little visit. They all look – you know, big, brown, bearlike. I drift along and find myself standing in front of the habitat of the Alaskan Brown Bear.
She’s hanging out in her little bathing pool, washing her beautiful little face with paws that are surprisingly dainty, given her general dimensions (huge). Eventually she considers herself, apparently, suitably gorgeous, and emerges from the pool, like Venus on the half shell. This dame is enormous. She sort of lumbers around, shifting her girth from side to side; she stands directly in front of me, yawns, and shakes the water from her fur. Then she settles herself down next to an absolutely huge boulder that’s been placed in her habitat. She lays both paws, and then her head, on the smooth, cool, gray rock. She looks as comfortable as if she’s lying on a feather pillow.
This morning, absently perusing my Pocket Astrologer, I noted that later today – hours before I hope to be cuddled up on the couch with my sweetie, eating Thai food, drinking champagne, and watching a movie – Venus will square Saturn. And my initial reaction was, “Damn! There goes my lovely weekend, my sweet date.” The restaurant will be overloaded and our takeout will be late and cold; the champagne flat; the movie a disappointment.
Well, maybe it will, maybe it won’t. And if it is… maybe it’s not a punishment, but a gift. Maybe there’s something better we could be doing, something more satisfying (although it’d have to be pretty damn good to trump that little Thai/movie date scenario), and Saturn might roll some huge boulders out into our path to try to divert us to something different, something marvelous.
And that’s when I thought about that bear, snuggling up to that big old, hard-looking rock. That bear was the picture of Venusian pleasure; I think if you’d offered her a Sealey Posturepedic at that moment, she would have declined. She was enjoying her Saturnian rock; it was something cool and comfortable to lean on.
And that’s when it hit me. Ah… it’s simply a question of attitude, isn’t it? When you’re trying to have a good time and the world rolls a rock in your path, well, there’s only one thing to do:
Love the rock.
Venus will square Saturn on February 18, 2011, 11:21 am PST.
Full Moon in Leo: Loving Your Brand
Leo Full Moon:
Loving Your Brand
by April Elliott Kent
Last year, my progressed Sun entered Libra, the sign of marketing, and suddenly I find myself fascinated by the subject. The more I’ve studied it, the more I’ve realized that everything you need to know about marketing yourself successfully can be found in your birth chart.
For instance, in marketing, there is a lot of talk about “branding.” A successful brand is the result of a series of consistently positive impressions. Consistency builds trust. As a friend, this could mean consistently doing what you say you will. As an employee, consistency probably means showing up for work every day and doing a conscientious job with a good attitude. If you’re a business owner, you need a track record of responsiveness, good service – and of simply having been around for a few years.
If you find it difficult to be consistent, it may be because you’re not doing something you’re passionate about. If you’re really good at something – better at it than anyone else – it’s a joy to do it. You’d do it for free – consistently, year in, year out.
The Sun and Your Brand
So, what are you good at? What would the people closest to you describe as your best qualities? What do you want people to feel when they meet you? These are the qualities that make a brand compelling. In astrology, we associate this set of qualities with the Sun – and to some extent with Leo, the sign that it rules.
Look at the glyph for the Sun – a circle with a dot in the middle. The dot in the middle is you; like the yolk of an egg, it’s where the good stuff is. The circle around the outside is like the eggshell, creating a sense of identity, defining where you begin and end. The Sun symbolizes the qualities that you identify with, that make you unique. It’s the blazing furnace in the hull of your steamship that provides the energy to propel the Titanic.
What’s the Sun’s sign in your birth chart? It describes the quality of your natural charisma. What are the situations that let your natural genius burn bright? Look to the Sun’s house. The Sun’s aspects to other planets tell us more about what makes you unique. A Leo with the Sun square Neptune, like Barack Obama, is going to come across as a little more introspective than a driven, nakedly ambitious Leo like Madonna (with her Sun square Mars and trine Saturn).
Taken together, these elements comprise your brand – the source of your charisma, what makes others respond to you, and gives you strength and confidence. As country singer Dolly Parton once said, “Figure out who you are, then do it on purpose.” Knowing your natal Sun – and the planets and houses connected with its natural sign, Leo – is the key to knowing who you are.
Learning from Leo
Ruled by the Sun, Leo has an innate knack for presenting him or herself as a mythic figure with a compelling story. What you can learn from Leo is that everybody has a unique story that’s worth telling. You might not tell yours in a Leo way, swinging from the chandeliers with a rose between your teeth. But the Sun is your epicenter, no matter what sign it’s in or what house. Before you can find an audience, you have to learn to celebrate your self and your story.
While the Sun is moving through Aquarius, the sign of “other people’s creativity,” it’s easy to pay too much attention to what your colleagues are doing. Especially in the internet age, when social media gives us the anxious feeling of competing for attention with more people than ever before, embracing your own story is vital. That’s why at the Full Moon in Leo, the sign of individual creativity, it’s a good time to touch base with what makes you special. What you have to offer the world is you.
At this Full Moon in Leo, celebrate your brand! If you’re not in love with it, no one else will be. If you’re having trouble figuring out what your “brand” is, take a moment to write down your answers to these questions:
- What do you love to do?
- What is unique about you?
- What is your passion?
- How do your best friends describe you?
- What do you want people to feel about being around you?
Be your own audience
In metaphysical circles, it’s fashionable to say things like “Do what you love and the money will follow.” But the truth is, some do what they love and are still broke; others make millions doing things they don’t care about at all. Money isn’t the only – or even the best – way to measure success. However, it’s almost certain that if you do what you love, happiness will follow. If you make some money or get some recognition along the way, even better!
People who are really inspiring at what they do are the ones who are doing it Dolly Parton’s way: they figured out who they are, and they’re doing it on purpose. And at this Leo Full Moon, that’s what I’d like for you, as well. It may not make you infinitely rich or famous, but if you have to make a choice between popularity and authenticity, go with authenticity. As Bruce Springsteen once said about songwriting, “I write to please myself. That way, I know there’s always one satisfied person in the audience.” Take Bruce’s advice, and begin by making yourself happy; celebrate yourself, and love your “brand,” and in time your audience will come looking for you.
© 2011 April Elliott Kent
All rights reserved
Learn more about using the symbolism of your birth chart to help you do what you love for people you like – order my Astro*Marketing lecture and workbook!
Seasonal Astrology: The Magic of Porches
The Magic of Porches
by April Elliott Kent
Originally appeared in Llewellyn’s 2008 Moon Sign book.
I grew up in the country, in a small farmhouse built by my grandfather. It was a fine house, but it’s not what I remember most; to a kid, a house is just a house. All of the really interesting, really magical spaces were outside… the barn, the wheat fields, the playhouse – and the front porch.
I spent hours on our porch when I was small. It was just “outdoors” enough to let me feel independent, yet still connected to the house so I felt safe. For my sister and me, the front porch was a place to exercise our imaginations by acting out complicated plays of our own invention, and to exercise our bodies by taking turns shoving each other off the porch railing. It served, too, as a stage for celebrating the changing of the seasons. Whether it was carving pumpkins for Halloween, standing on tiptoe to knock down icicles from the eaves, or posing for our annual Easter photograph, many of our most cherished memories seem to have been posed against the backdrop of that porch. (more…)
Progressed Sun changing signs
Last summer, a woman I know underwent a couple of major life changes. Within the space of a few months, she embarked on a strict diet and exercise regiment, lost a significant amount of weight, and launched her first business. As I stood washing dishes one evening, musing on the radical changes in this person whose life had been fairly static for decades, I had what Oprah would call an “ah ha” moment. I ran to my computer, pulled up the chart and progressions, and sure enough: just a few months before took steps to radically remake her life, her Progressed Sun had moved into take-charge Aries.
By secondary progression, the Sun moves at a rate of about one degree of the zodiac per year. Unless you were born with the Sun at the very end of a sign, it’s unlikely you’ll experience more than a few Progressed Sun sign changes in your life. Since they’re rare, they represent profound opportunities – in this case, to reboot your life and move in a new direction.
Since the progressed Sun moves at the rate of approximately 1 degree per year, a quick and dirty way to figure out the current position of your progressed Sun is to find the degree of your natal Sun, and deduct it from 30; the resulting sum correlates to your age when the progressed Sun first changed signs. Approximately every 30 years thereafter, the Sun will enter the following sign. The progressed Sun’s exact rate varies, so while this gets you in the neighborhood, you may end up “off” by a half a year or so.
It’s easy to find the current placement of your progressed Sun online at astro.com. If you’re not exactly sure how to find the progressed Sun’s exact placement, or the years when it changes signs, this video gives you a couple of easy methods. Click the “expand” icon (four arrows pointed outward) in the bottom right-hand corner to view full size:
Ultimately, the progression of my natal Leo Sun into Virgo (during my senior year in high school) marked the beginning of the Craftsman era of my life, the era of refining Leo’s creative urges. Indeed, during the pr. Sun in Virgo years I killed every hobby I had by turning each one into a job, and then picking on myself mercilessly when I didn’t do the job well enough. Ah, the Virgo years.
Since my progressed Sun entered Libra last year, I’m beginning to feel that my long, difficult apprenticeship is over. Libra, and the seventh house, represent the marketplace, the process of exchanging goods and services with others; and just as the progressed Sun entering Virgo marked a progression from creating (Leo) to refining (Virgo), the focus of my work (and to some extent, of my life) is shifting again – from the pursuit of elusive perfection to the simple joy of sharing with others what I’ve spent nearly a half century (gah!) learning.
Have you experienced the Progressed Sun moving to a new sign? What important shifts in focus and consciousness took place for you?
Aquarius New Moon: Year of the Full Metal Rabbit
Hail the Aquarius New Moon (Feb. 2, 6:31 pm PST) and the Chinese Year of the Rabbit! I confess that I know next to nothing about Chinese astrology, but over the years I’ve been baffled by descriptions of the alleged gentleness and delicacy of those born in Rabbit years. Since I’ve known – and in one case married – Rabbit year people who are temperamentally robust, even formidable, these characterizations confused me.
Mind you, however, my dearest Rabbits were born in 1951, which, like 2011, was a Metal Rabbit year. And according to astrologer Suzanne White, that might account for the scrappiness of my favorite bunnies:
Metal confers a steely strength of purpose and more courage than we normally see in Rabbit behavior. He’s no world-beater in the confrontation department but, unlike some less feisty Rabbits who flee, he can hold his ground if and when he meets with an obstacle. Due to this ability to defend his point of view, he is more optimistic than other Rabbits. He may even be a tad aggressive…. (more…)
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