TRANSCRIPT Ep. 203 | Libra New Moon/Solar Eclipse: Going to the Party Alone! (10.9.23)
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Hello Invisible Friend, April here, and the date today is October 9th, 2023. Welcome to Episode 203 of the Big Sky Astrology Podcast.
This week, Venus opposes Saturn and prompts an examination of values. Pluto stations direct, Mars enters powerful Scorpio and connects with authoritative Saturn, and an important Libra New Moon brings the disruptive influence of a solar eclipse. Plus, I answer a listener question about interceptions.
Venus opposed Saturn (Oct. 9, 2023, 11:11 pm PDT)
The week begins with Venus opposing Saturn on October 9th at 11:11pm Pacific Time at 1º02’ Virgo and Pisces. The Sabian symbol for Venus is 2 Virgo, Large white cross upraised. And the Sabian symbol for Saturn is 2 Pisces, A squirrel hiding from hunters. Often, when we talk about Venus, we’re talking about money or relationships. But Venus in Virgo, and especially in combination with Saturn, brings up for me the dimension of Venus that is about values. What do we treasure and hold dear? Now that’s very important and actually an underpinning of the other conversations that we have about money or relationships. What do we value? Whom do we value? And how do we insist on being valued by others?
Venus in Virgo holds very strong beliefs and is not really willing to compromise very easily. And I think this opposition with Saturn on these particular symbols could be connected to protecting those who are smaller or weaker, like the squirrel that we see in Saturn’s symbol, from those who are trying to harm it. Or maybe it’s the ways in which we feel we are being hunted, for lack of a better word, over our own values.
But it’s also kind of a reminder not to become overzealous in our values and beliefs. The large white cross upraised for Venus’ symbol is a suggestion of being zealous and uncompromising in what it is that we stand for. Now, there’s a time for that. And I think the things that we feel very strongly about, it’s important to stand up for them. But there are times when we can get carried away and we can forget the human factor. Anything in Pisces, even Saturn, reminds us to care for one another, to acknowledge one another’s humanity. And when we become too unequivocal in our beliefs, we risk overlooking what is important about other people. Maybe even people who disagree with us about things.
All opposition aspects ask us to get things into better balance, to acknowledge that the truth between two extremes usually lies right smack in the middle. So, it’s important to care about what we care about, and to stand up for it, but people in our lives are also important. How many of us, in recent years, have found ourselves across the fence from people we really care about? Where they had a very particular opinion, very different views than we had, and that it’s been very hard to find our way back to each other. So this is just an example of what can happen when our beliefs, our opinions, our creeds take precedence over everything else in our lives, including relationships.
Pluto stations direct (Oct. 10, 2023, 6:09 pm PDT)
On October 10th at 6:09 PM Pacific Time, Pluto stations direct at 27º53’ minutes Capricorn, on the Sabian symbol, 28 Capricorn, A large aviary. Pluto has been retrograde since May 1st, when it stationed at zero degrees Aquarius. Wow, remember Pluto in Aquarius? It feels so long ago. And it has been hanging around those late degrees of Capricorn since June 11th.
When I look at this symbol, I keep getting this image of birds bursting out of the aviary, refusing to be contained and controlled. Well, a large aviary seems very much to be a symbol of the collective, which is what Pluto represents, and that idea that we are all in things together. It’s the ultimate symbol of the collective.
In the days around this station, where Pluto was getting ready to turn direct, the need for control and the feeling of pressure can be very strong. In this case, it can feel like pressure to conform or to put others before ourselves too much of the time. It’s best to avoid all or nothing decisions within a few days of a Pluto station. And this is almost taking us back to that Venus in Virgo the previous day as it opposes Saturn.
We might be feeling something very strongly right now, but after the dust settles, we might see things differently and wish that we had delayed taking action. So right now, really avoid, as I like to say, doing things that you can’t undo.
Mars enters Scorpio (Oct. 11, 2023, 9:04 pm PDT)
Mars enters Scorpio on October 11th at 9:04 pm Pacific Time, and it will be in that sign through November 24th. So, Mars symbolizes what we will go after, and how we will go after it. When Mars is in Scorpio, what we want is to uncover secrets and falsehoods and hypocrisy. We want to get to the truth of every situation, every relationship.
It’s also a time, just in terms of work, when it’s great to do some research. Go deep. Maybe there’s something that you’ve been wanting to dig into in your work for a long time, but the time hasn’t quite been right. You haven’t had enough hours in the day to do it. But while Mars is in Scorpio, it is a great time to tackle things that require that amount of uncovering and research.
What Scorpio wants is to establish trust and intimacy in its relationships, in the work that it commits to, it favors an approach generally that is a little more clandestine, so that we can observe what is really going on before we act, and then when a decision is made, Mars in Scorpio is direct and decisive.
Mars is in Scorpio, as I said, through November 24th. And while Mars is in this sign, any decisions that we vacillated about while Mars was in Libra, we’re now in a much better position to resolve. And we saw that with Mars square to Pluto last week, which was the last aspect that it would make in Libra.
And it really made us confront some things that maybe we hadn’t been able to see or hadn’t wanted to see. Now, as Mars goes into Scorpio, we have a much clearer picture of what’s what, and we can make some decisions and find some resolution.
Mars trine Saturn (Oct. 13, 2023, 5:29 am PDT)
Mars trines Saturn on October 13th at 5:29 a. m. Pacific Time at 00º54’ Scorpio and Pisces. Flowing aspects between Mars and Saturn are very effective for accomplishing things, because the raw energy of Mars is focused and disciplined by Saturn, so we’re not just flailing all over the place. We’re focused on getting something particular done.
In this case, the ferocity and the protectiveness of Mars and Scorpio can be directed and used in the service of others. Again, it’s Saturn in Pisces. Saturn is on the Sabian symbol 1 Pisces, A public market. In business, for example, this can be a time when your instincts and intuition can lead to effectiveness in the public marketplace.
Libra New Moon/Solar Eclipse (Oct. 14, 2023, 10:55 am PDT)
And now for the Moon Report for the week of October 9th. It begins with a Libra New Moon solar eclipse on October 14th at 10:55 AM Pacific Time. It’s a 21º07′ Libra on the Sabian symbol 22 Libra, A child giving birds a drink at a fountain. Isn’t that a sweet Sabian symbol of this innocent child wanting to help birds by giving them a drink? But it always does make me chuckle a little bit because, of course, birds are very capable of getting the drink for themselves. They don’t need anyone to help them.
Eclipses bring change. In this case, change in important relationships are likely. And since the eclipse point is square Pluto, these can be permanent changes. It could be that, like that well-meaning little girl, we’ve fallen into the habit of being a little too helpful with the people in our lives, or letting them help us in ways that aren’t really necessary.
This eclipse is near the Moon’s south node, and any changes to relationships will get us out of our comfort zone, the way we rely on others too much, and push us in the direction of that independent north node in Aries. I find it helpful always, at eclipse time, to look at past eclipses near this degree. Since they fell in roughly the same area of your birth chart, you’ll often see recurring themes happen around eclipses near the same degree.
In recent years, there was a lunar eclipse on April 15th, 2014, at 25º Libra. So, pretty close to this one. On October 14, 2004, a solar eclipse at nearly exactly the same degree and minute, 21º06’ Libra. On October 12, 1996, there was a solar eclipse at 19º Libra. And on April 15, 1995, a lunar eclipse at 25 Libra. That eclipse in 2004 is especially relevant because it was also at the south node of the moon. So it was another eclipse similar to this one that says, look, it doesn’t mean you can’t have relationships, but you need to not hide out in relationships.
I was talking to a friend earlier today and saying, the South Node in Libra is like going to a party and you feel much more comfortable having a friend go with you. You don’t want to walk in alone. But the South Node in Libra takes it a step further and says, “No, if I don’t have somebody with me, I won’t go to the party at all.”
And that’s what we’re trying to avoid. The North Node in Aries is beckoning and saying, “Hey, go to the party by yourself. Maybe you’ll meet some interesting people.” This New Moon, like every New Moon, initiates a lunar phase family cycle that unfolds over the next three years. When these cycles begin at an eclipse, they are especially unpredictable and often dramatic.
So note these dates, because the story that is beginning at this New Moon will be unfolding at these critical moments. The First Quarter in the cycle is on July 13th, 2024 at 22 Libra, then nine months later, a Full Moon on April 12th, 2025 at 23º Libra, and nine months later, a last quarter moon on January 10th, 2026 at 20º Libra.
So those are the action points in this particular cycle, and I imagine each of them will continue to carry a little bit of this particular eclipse dynamic every step along the way.
Void-of-Course Moon Periods
Let’s look at the Void-of-Course Moon periods for this week. On October 10th, the Moon in Leo sextiles Mars at 2:36 a.m. Pacific Time. It’s Void-of-Course for about two and a half hours before it enters Virgo at 5:02 a.m. I think the reflection that is helpful during this Void-of-Course Moon period is that it is great to show up.
And be fabulous, and be paid attention to, Moon and Leo. But often we can get further if we reach out to others for collaboration. That is the sextile to Mars and Libra.
The Moon and Mars are often a little uncomfortable when they come together in any kind of aspect, because the Moon wants to stay comfortable, and Mars is very challenging. So where we are feeling comfortable, during this Void-of-Course Moon, is in the Leo place. We feel good just being ourselves, but reaching out and connecting with that Mars energy could be very stimulating and could help us actually go further with, say, our creative projects or meeting new people, whatever it is we might want to do.
On October 12th, the Moon in Virgo trines Pluto at 1:10 p. m. Pacific Time. It’s Void-of-Course for about four and one quarter hours and then enters Libra at 5:22 p.m. The Moon in Virgo is fantastic for getting things organized and seeing clearly. And these are the things that during a trine to Pluto can almost effortlessly advance our prospects in a really positive way.
And on October 15th, the Moon in Libra squares Pluto at one minute past midnight Pacific time. It’s Void-of-Course for four hours before it enters Scorpio at 4:04 a.m. This is the Moon’s final aspect in the sign of Libra after that solar eclipse. And the message essentially, with the Moon in Libra Square Pluto, is about cooperating without giving away your power. That is the key to this aspect, this Void-of-Course Moon period, and really this eclipse.
Listener Question: Interceptions
In this week’s listener question, Listener Susan asks, I’m a woman in her wisdom years, having amassed 71 years of this lifetime’s experiences.” Congratulations, Susan.
“I am a long student of astrology and capable of chart readings, yet one aspect of my own has always perplexed me, that my Capricorn is intercepted. What exactly does that mean, and how does it affect me?”
Thank you for that question, Susan. Before we talk about intercepted signs, let’s first talk about house cusps. These are the little dividing lines between the 12 houses of the chart. These lines are an approximation to help us describe the areas of the sky at the time of your birth. At the moment of your birth, the wheel begins with the sign rising in the east. Each sign has 30 degrees, and one in particular one was lining up with her horizon at the moment you first drew breath. That is called your Ascendant. It’s a powerful point of initiative, response to new situations, and individualism.
It’s my observation that each subsequent house cusp acts like the ascendant for that house. It describes how we approach and perform the matters related to that house. Often, but not always, the next house cusp after the Ascendant, the second house, would have the sign following the Ascendant on the cusp.
The third house would have the next sign and so forth. Now if you use what we call an equal house system, such as whole sign houses, or the system actually called the equal house system, that is exactly what happens. You never have interceptions in those systems. But if you use what’s called a quadrant-based house system – the most popular of these is Placidus, but also systems like Koch or Porphyry – the farther north or south you are born of the equator, and depending on which house system you use, things can get wonky. You’ll get these houses that can be very large. Some are very small.
Susan, in your case, a late degree of Scorpio is on the Ascendant of your chart. A late degree of Sagittarius is on the second house, and then we would expect to see late Capricorn on the cusp of the third, but no, instead we have a very early degree of Aquarius, the sign that follows Capricorn, on the third house cusp.
What happened to Capricorn? Capricorn is still there, it’s just that all 30 degrees of the sign are hidden in the second house between the second house that has 27 degrees Sagittarius on the cusp and 3 degrees Aquarius on the third house cusp. This is called an interception. You can think of intercepted signs sort of like silent partners of the houses that they’re in.
The sign on the house cusp does the PR work, while the intercepted sign works or shows motivation behind the scenes. In matters related to money, for example, with Sagittarius on the second house cusp, you might appear very optimistic, be generous, not seem to worry about money, but under the surface, there can be a sense of scarcity and the sense of having to work very hard for everything you get.
That is the influence of Capricorn in that second house. Where it probably comes out is in your professional life. Saturn, which is the ruler of Capricorn, is in the 10th house of your chart, and your advancement in your professional life might have been slowed down by a lack of confidence, possibly related to a parental example, since the 10th house is associated with parents. So, as you can see, the planet that rules the intercepted sign becomes especially important because it is the voice of the intercepted sign.
It is where the intercepted sign comes out in a visible way. If one sign is intercepted, so is its opposite sign. In Susan’s case, Cancer is intercepted in the 8th house. So, on the cusp of the 8th, we have curious, breezy Gemini, which gives an apparent ease with thinking or talking about life’s important challenges, like life and death, sex and taxes, and appearing almost to be untouched by them.
But Cancer is behind the scenes. It is extremely sensitive about these matters. Cancer is a sign that needs great trust in order to be intimate with others, no matter what Gemini says. And in Susan’s chart, it is ruled by the Moon, of course, in Taurus, in the 6th house. And possibly having a job that’s related to 8th house matters could be a very good way to work with this interception.
Now, all of this is dependent on the house system you use to calculate the house cusps. In the popular house systems, the signs on the Ascendant and its opposite point, the Descendant, are always the same. This includes whole sign and equal house charts, and in the quadrant-based systems, the Midheaven and IC are also the same, from a Placidus chart to, say, a Koch house chart.
But the intermediate house cusps, the 2nd and 8th, 3rd and 9th, 5th and 11th and 6th and 12th tend to vary, and sometimes the interceptions do as well.
In your chart, Susan, Capricorn is intercepted using Placidus houses, but if I calculate your chart using Koch houses, Capricorn is on the 3rd house cusp and Aquarius is intercepted in the 3rd house. With Leo intercepted in the ninth. To get a feel for which feels more accurate for you, consider in your communication with others represented by the third house, do you tend to be unorthodox and spontaneous or measure your words very carefully?
Aquarius on the third house in the Placidus house chart would be that more unorthodox influence, whereas Capricorn on the third house in the Koch chart would be more careful and reserved.
I hope that helps, Susan. It is a question that I actually get quite a lot. And I think interceptions can be rather subtle, but they are also really interesting. If you, Invisible Friend, have a question you would like me to answer on a future episode, just leave a message of one minute or less at SpeakPipe.com/bigskyastrologypodcast, or email me at April(at)BigSkyAstrology(dot)com and put Podcast Question in the subject line.
Donor Thanks
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