TRANSCRIPT Episode 189 (July 31, 2023)
Listen and read show notes hereHello, invisible friend, April here, and the date today is July 31, 2023. Welcome to Episode 189 of the Big Sky Astrology Podcast. This week: The Aquarius Full Moon and the hope of a new day; both the Sun and Mars aspect big-thinking, optimistic Jupiter; Saturn helps Mercury get down to business; and I answer a very useful listener question about how to make healthier choices and stick to them.
Aquarius Full Moon (Aug. 1, 2023, 11:32 am PDT)
The week begins with the Moon report, and an Aquarius Full Moon on August 1st at 11:32 AM Pacific Time, at 9º15’ Aquarius and Leo. This Full Moon features a T square of the Sun, Moon, and Jupiter, which means the Sun and Moon are opposite each other, as they always are at the Full Moon, and both of them make a square aspect to Jupiter.
The Sabian symbol for the Moon is 10 Aquarius, A popularity that proves ephemeral. And the Sabian symbol for the Sun at this Full Moon is 10 Leo, Early morning dew. The Moon’s Sabian symbol reminds us that happiness does not lie in popularity, because that can be very fleeting.
Aquarius is a sign that likes to be close to other people, part of things, part of a collective. And we generally think of Leo as being the sign that wants to be popular, but I think there is something in Aquarius that shares that same quality sometimes. So this reminds us, popularity comes and goes, and we can’t really pin our hopes for happiness on that alone.
Leo’s Sabian symbol, the early morning dew, is this lovely bright image of the Sun glinting off this moisture, and just kind of a lovely picture that reminds us that each day we begin anew. And even if there’s something hanging over your head that’s going to happen on a particular day, there is still that bright promise in the early morning that we’ll get through that whatever it is, and as long as we have breath in our bodies, there is reason to hope. I think that’s what we see too in the Sun and Moon, both aspecting Jupiter, a very optimistic planet in a very practical and down to earth sign. Popular or unpopular, it just doesn’t seem to matter that much to Taurus.
On the heels of that Cancer New Moon a couple of weeks ago opposed Pluto, this is a very welcome Full Moon. The Full Moons are always times in the lunar cycle when things can be a little bit emotionally amped up. They tend to be sort of dramatic times of the month, and we have that image of going outside on the night of a Full Moon and everything is bright and illuminated. It can be a little bit difficult to sleep actually on the night of a Full Moon because it’s so bright. There is so much light.
Symbolically, what the Full Moon means is we can see everything. It’s a contrast of the New Moon, which is the darkest time in the lunar cycle when there is no light in the night sky at all. And we’re kind of beginning new things, but we are taking it on faith. We don’t know exactly what it is that we’re initiating or that we are planting, but at the time of the Full Moon, we begin to see. And I’ve spoken with some folks over the last couple of weeks who had a really difficult time during that week after the New Moon. This is the time when we see the full story a little more clearly, not just the difficulties of that Pluto energy with the New Moon, but also this bright hopefulness of Jupiter. Jupiter can be the planet that assures us – even if we have gone to the doctor and gotten a difficult diagnosis, for example, there is usually with Jupiter, that silver lining that says yes, but at least we caught it now before it could do more harm.
Lunar Phase Family Cycle
This is also the Full Moon in a lunar phase family cycle that began with a New Moon on January 31st, 2022. The First Quarter in that phase was on October 31st, 2022, and now we are at the Full Moon. We’ll have one more phase in this cycle that’s on May 1st, 2024.
So what we do with the lunar phase family cycle is track the degree of the New Moon that begins the cycle, in this case, 12º18’ Aquarius on January 31st, 2022. And if you drop that degree into your birth chart, take a look at the house that that degree falls in, and if it’s making any major aspects, close, major aspects to anything in your chart. Because if so, this is an ongoing and important cycle for you That takes all up about three years actually to work its way through.
So we’re halfway through that cycle now. We can look back at what began in January, 2022, what we refined and put a little more effort into at the end of October of last year. And now here we are and we can see in its fullest form what we began at that time.
It’s of the nature of Aquarius. Usually when we think of Aquarius, we think about people working in groups within a collective. That’s not always my experience of Aquarius. I think it is the nature of the 11th house. not so much so always with Aquarius. Aquarius, if we remember, its traditional ruler is Saturn, and that gives us a solitary image for Aquarius, a little more than we tend to think of. So this might have been something that you began at the very beginning of last year, where you needed to do something on your own and come up with your own vision and your own idea of what you wanted to be doing going forward. And now is the Full Moon where you are able to see where you stand in achieving that vision. Maybe at this point you’re deciding that you would like to bring some other people in to give the project more nuance, more depth, to give you some feedback.
Void-of-Course Moon
Let’s look at the Void-of-Course Moon periods for this week. The first is on July 31st when the Moon in Capricorn comes together in a conjunction with Pluto at 7:13 PM Pacific Time. It’s Void-of-Course for one hour and 45 minutes, and then enters Aquarius at 8:58 PM. This is a Void-of-Course Moon period for just under two hours that gives us an opportunity to rebuild habits that are especially related to our ambitions. Capricorn is a very ambitious sign, and the Moon together with Pluto in this sign has us perhaps rethinking some ambitions or some goals. Also, it’s important always with Pluto to take a look at how you might have been sabotaging your own efforts in this regard. We can feel often under Pluto’s influence that things from outside of us are controlling the situation, but sometimes we overlook how we ourselves are contributing to our setbacks.
On August 2nd, the Moon and Aquarius opposes Venus at 2:15 PM Pacific Time. It’s Void-of-Course for just under six hours before it enters Pisces at 8:05 PM. Again, this is the sign that the Full Moon falls in and in fact, this Void-of-Course Moon period ends just a couple of hours after the Full Moon. The question is, I think with this moon in Aquarius opposed Venus in Leo is, why does it seem that everybody else is having all the fun, right? That Venus in Leo, that is a very warm and convivial sign for Venus. Can it be though that others appear to be having a lot of fun, but then maybe it just looks that way on the outside because Venus in Leo is retrograde right now. And we’re not always seeing the full story. So this goes back to that old expression about not judging our insides by other people’s outsides.
On August 4th, the Moon in Pisces sextiles Pluto at 6:21 PM Pacific Time. It’s void-of-course for just under two hours before it enters Aries at 8:19 PM. This comes at the end of a couple of days of the Moon being in Pisces, which is a good time for letting your imagination run wild, dreaming, not necessarily following a checklist or a timetable or a schedule.
Now, as the Moon makes that final aspect in its sign to Pluto in Capricorn, a sextile, it is a time to think about how we can do something with all of the things we’ve been dreaming about and imagining over the last couple of days. Again, a sextile always gives us the option. We won’t be forced into anything, but what happens often at a sextile is that we come across an idea, a conversation, something that gets our minds moving in, in this case, a very productive direction.
Finally on August 6th, the Moon in Aries squares Pluto at 9:13 PM Pacific Time. It’s Void-of-Course for just over two hours and then enters Taurus at 11:24 PM. Now, Moon in Aries times are some of the best all month for getting things done. But as we’re into this Void-of-Course period, it’s time to stop and think a little bit about whether maybe we’ve been cutting some corners in our haste, maybe not going deep enough into a subject, into a matter. Let’s let this square to Pluto from the Moon slow us down a little bit and give us time to look a little more deeply into what we’ve been rushing around to try to get done
Mars trine Jupiter (Aug. 1, 2023, 1:44 pm PDT)
On August 1st at 1:44 PM Pacific Time, Mars trines Jupiter at 13º46’ Virgo and Taurus. Mars and Virgo, as we’ve been saying over the last few weeks, is very diligent. It is a Mars sign that takes care of details, and under its influence we sometimes get a little too caught up in details – to the point where it can be really hard to finish things because we don’t know when to stop trying to make them more perfect.
Mars trine Jupiter in the very practical sign of Taurus can make Mars in Virgo ease up just a little bit on that perfectionism and to focus instead on what makes practical sense. There comes a point, really, where we need to ask ourselves: Is putting in another day, two days, month of work, really going to make things that much better?
This is a day to spend just a little time playing hooky. This Sabian symbol for Jupiter is 14 Taurus, Shellfish groping and children playing. And this talks about relaxing a little bit, going down maybe to the beach or out to the park where we can play a little bit. We can relax just a little bit. Because I really think that it’s especially important to remember, during times that Mars is in Virgo, that relaxing a little bit, backing off the intensity of our work, can actually make us more productive in the long run.
Mercury opposes Saturn (Aug. 1, 2023, 7:18 pm PDT)
Also, on August 1st at 7:18 PM, Mercury opposes Saturn at 5º38’ Virgo and Pisces. The Sabian symbol for Mercury is 6 Virgo, A merry-go-round, and Saturn is on the Sabian symbol 6 Pisces, Officers on dress parade. Mercury’s symbol, A merry-go-round, really talks to that Mercury in Virgo tendency to go around and around in circles – plenty of ups and downs – where we can really get lost in details and forget the goal altogether. So Mercury here in Virgo is sort of accentuating that Mars in Virgo tendency at the moment.
The opposition from Mercury to Saturn gives focus. That symbol is Officers on dress parade. So we have this vision of officers dressed in their finest uniforms, standing in formation, in orderly lines, marching their march, and just generally looking the part. There is a little bit of the artisan’s dilemma here in this opposition – the fact that being the very best at what you do might get you appreciated by other people that do the same thing, but it won’t necessarily help you get ahead. What often gets us appreciated is looking the part. It can feel really unfair if, for example, you are applying for a job and you come in and you are clearly the best qualified person with the best skills, but somebody else gets the job and sometimes it’s just that they look right for the part. They look like the person that should have the part.
And even if your bottom line is doing your best work possible, there’s no point getting overlooked all your life. There’s a fine line somewhere between doing our best and being willing to play the game a little bit. And that can get us noticed in the ways we really want to get noticed when it comes to having better opportunities.
Sun square Jupiter (Aug. 6, 2023, 5:03 pm PDT)
On August 6th at 5:03 PM Pacific Time, the Sun squares Jupiter at 14º16’ Leo and Taurus. The Sabian symbol for the Sun is 15 Leo, A pageant, and Jupiter is on the Sabian symbol 15 Taurus. A man muffled up with a rakish silk hat. These Sabian symbols find the Sun and Jupiter are united in one thing, and that is that style always matters! Certainly people participating in a pageant are showing their style and they’re showing their very best looks or their talent or whatever the focus of the pageant might be. But I do love the fact that in the Taurus symbol, the man is wearing this rakish silk hat, but he’s muffled up, so apparently, it’s cold outside and he’s practical enough to wear a scarf and really make himself toasty and warm. So that comes first, but then he tops it off with the rakish silk hat – very much in keeping with the practicality of Taurus.
When we see a square between the Sun and Jupiter, it tends to exaggerate the qualities of the Sun, but at the same time, it gives it a strong flavor of whatever sign Jupiter is in. So what this square will tend to do is bring out Leo’s bullheaded side. You know, Leo is a fixed sign just as Taurus is, and Leo is very obstinate. They don’t like to change their minds and they have very strong opinions about things. But this square also exaggerates Leo’s finer qualities: its generosity, its ability to lead, and its desire to inspire and entertain.
Listener Question: Using astrology to make healthier choices
In this week’s listener question, listener Joshua asks, “I’ve always had a hard time with making healthy choices when it comes to food and drink. I know that this isn’t just about my chart, but also about personal willpower, family history, and just living in a sort of overindulgent time and place here in our country.
That said, I’m wondering where I might look in my chart to see what explains that and where I might look if I wanted to look for help, what planets or transits I might lean into to help me find the courage to consistently make more healthy choices.”
Well, Joshua, thank you for that really great question, and I’m sure it’s something that many of us can relate to!
Now I want to begin by pointing out that, of course, I am neither a psychologist nor a nutritionist or any other -ist, but from an astrological point of view, matters about the way we feed and nourish ourselves begin with the Moon. And of course, that’s also a planet that symbolizes how we comfort ourselves and the routines that we develop to get us through our day-to-day lives.
The sign and house that the Moon is in can tell us a lot about how you comfort yourself, the rhythm of your daily life, and what are the habits that are most natural to you. The aspects that the Moon and the birth chart makes to other planets in your chart can tell us about what might make it easier or more challenging to feel comfortable and safe and to take care of yourself.
In particular, if the Moon in your birth chart is in difficult aspect to challenging planets like Mars, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, or Pluto, there might be a bit of a tendency to use food and drink to handle the hard energies that can come with those planets. With Mars, that might be anger. With Saturn, maybe it’s loneliness. Uranus can be about things changing a lot, or maybe feeling as though we don’t fit in. Neptune can be a desire for escapism. Pluto with the Moon brings extreme sensitivity and also a bit of an addictive quality.
Now, with Jupiter is involved, especially as the ruler of the sign on the Ascendant – that would be Sagittarius or Pisces that are ruled by Jupiter – or in an aspect to the Moon or the Ascendant, maybe the Sun, this can really knock things off kilter in the weight department and the influence that weight can have on our health. Jupiter is a planet of indulgence, and the Ascendant is related to the physical body and the appearance. The Ascendant also talks about the way we defend ourselves in the world, in particular when we find ourselves in challenging or unfamiliar situations. If, for example, you go to a party and you don’t know too many people and you’re uncomfortable, maybe you’ll use food or drink to make you feel a little less uneasy. Anecdotally, people will tell me from time to time that they gained a lot of weight as transiting Jupiter crossed their Ascendant.
Venus is also related to indulging in the good life, including food and drink. So having Venus ruling the Ascendant or in aspect to the Ascendant can also be associated with some overindulgence. Sometimes, it’s important to note, carrying some extra weight can make us feel safer, and you’ll see that very often if you have Venus or Jupiter associated with the Ascendant.
Then we would also look at the sixth house of the chart. This is a house that is related to health, and in particular the routines and habits that contribute to or detract from good health. Having Venus or Jupiter connected to this house, whether it’s in the house or ruling the sign on the house cusp, that would be Taurus, Libra, Sagittarius, or Pisces on the sixth house cusp, might point to this kind of indulgence. It does seem though that because Venus and Jupiter are kind of fortunate planets, there often seems to be a kind of unearned good health when these planets are connected with the sixth house.
So that is a starting point for thinking about what is behind the unhealthy behavior. Now, how do we counteract these influences? Well, first we can understand what’s causing it, and that goes back to the Moon. Is it just an emotional influence? Is it bad habits or is it some combination of the two? Is it a consequence of feeling unsafe in new situations? Is it because of stress? Then what are the kinds of transits or other influences that we might look to to help you in making these healthier choices?
In general, and this is very generally, look to Saturn to bring discipline, Uranus to disrupt the existing patterns, and Pluto for willpower. Having one of these transiting planets aspecting your natal Moon or Ascendant or moving through the first or six houses can actually be very helpful if they’re used consciously.
I’ve also found that these planets transiting the natal Part of Fortune could be helpful in big, positive changes. I don’t normally use the Part of Fortune a whole lot, but I have found this connection and that would make sense because the part of Fortune is derived from a formula that involves the Sun, Moon, and Ascendant – all three of which have some connection with health.
If you are familiar with secondary progressions, look for progressed planets moving through Virgo or the sixth house of your chart or connecting to planets in that house. And on a more day-to-day level, you will notice that in these podcast episodes, I talk about the times of the week when the Moon is Void-of-Course. What this means is the Moon has made its final major aspect in its current sign, and until it enters the next sign, it’s in a state where it’s kind of floating or void. These can be very powerful times for changing habits. In particular, be on the lookout for a void-of-course Moon that falls in the sixth house of your chart. These can be excellent for creating new habits related to health, such as starting a particular change in diet or exercise. The reasoning behind this is that the Moon, when it’s making an aspect to another planet, indicates that something happens, there’s a disruption. If there is no such disruption on the horizon, you can begin something new like a diet, like an exercise routine without it getting knocked off course.
Joshua, it’s a complicated question, but I hope that I’ve given you and other listeners a few places to start in thinking about how to make healthier choices and hopefully ones that will stick.
And if you, invisible friend, have a question you’d like me to answer on a future episode, just leave a message of one minute or less at speakpipe.com/bigskyastrologypodcast, or you can email me at April(at)bigskyastrology(dot).com and be sure to put podcast question in the subject line.
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© 2023 by April Elliott Kent
