TRANSCRIPT – Episode 195
Listen and read show notes here
Hello, invisible friend – April here, and the date today is September 5th, 2023. Welcome to episode 195 of the Big Sky Astrology Podcast, and the second day of the Fourth Annual Big Sky Astrology Podathon!
If you’re new around here and you’re wondering what the heck a Podathon is, well, this is the week each year when I bring you five daily episodes that include each day’s astrological news, including a little extra about the Moon and a special topic or two.
Of course, this is also the week when I make my annual appeal for donations, which help me cover the costs of producing the podcast all year long. But first, I really do want to take a moment to say thank you to everybody who has helped the show over the past year, both with financial donations, happy reviews, nice emails, and just generally.
Showing your support. I really couldn’t make the podcast without you, and because this podcast is audience funded, of course, I hope to continue to earn your support throughout this year as well. I love to shout out my donors names at the end of each regular episode for your support. And don’t worry if you don’t want me to call your name out, just send me an email at April(at)bigskyastrology(dot)com and I will make sure that it stays our little secret.
But if you contributed over the past year and you didn’t hear your shout out on an episode, just email me and I will write back and let you know which episode it was on so you can listen back to it if you like.
Anyway, to encourage your donations. Here are this year’s fantastic giveaways. First of all, everyone who donates $25 or more, as well as our ongoing monthly pod pal contributors will be entered in a drawing for a chance to win one of these cool prizes.
Two lucky donors will receive a personalized copy of my Followed by a Moonshadow Eclipse report that will help you get ready for this October’s eclipses. This report actually covers three years of eclipses following them through your birth chart, and it’s a $35 value. Another lucky donor will win free enrollment in your choice of one of my upcoming courses, and that is valued anywhere from 199 to $249.
One lucky donor will win a 60-minute personal astrology reading with me. Valued at $210 and one grand prize winner will win a 90-minute personal reading with me. That’s a $269 value.
But April, you say, I can barely afford to fill my gas tank. What if I can’t contribute that much?
I am so glad you asked.
Everyone who donates $10 will receive access to my special bonus episodes for donors only, that come out at the equinoxes and solstices.
Now I also wanna say, I know that not everyone can contribute financially. Completely okay. Love to have you here just listening. But here are a few easy, free ways that you can help increase the show’s visibility. If you like the show, please subscribe or follow it on your app of choice. This is the very best way to support the show in getting seen by more listeners.
You could leave a five-star rating or write a happy review either on Apple Podcasts or any of the other platforms that allow reviews. These really make my day.
You can join the conversation on my website and maybe make a comment at bigskyastro pod.com. Just click on whichever episode you want to comment on.
And finally, recommend the show to an astrology loving friend. However you choose to show your support, please know that it’s deeply appreciated.
And now for today’s episode!
Tuesday is Mars’ Day
I will be covering the week’s big astrological news in my daily episodes, and that will also include some lunar happenings and a few special things just for the podcast.
One thing I thought I’d do this week is talk just a little bit about which of the seven Visible planets rules each day of the week, and what are the sort of things that are favored on each planet’s day. Today is Tuesday and that is Mars’ Day. Mars ruled Tuesday was set aside for ironing in the traditional home because Mars has an affinity for heat and for metal.
Now, if you’re like me, you don’t iron clothes more than a few times a year. But Mars, the Warrior Planet, can help you untangle knotty problems requiring confrontation and assertiveness. Let’s say you’ve put off arguing with the phone company over an erroneous charge or with a neighbor whose tree limbs are damaging your roof. Well, today is the day to put the heat on them. Mars makes warriors of us all.
Sharp objects and cutting are also rolled by Mars. So today is the day to cut the grass, to trim your cat’s claws, get a haircut, or sharpen your cooking knives. Mars with its abundant energy, rewards physical activity. So today is the day to begin an exercise program or to enjoy your favorite sport.
And finally celebrate Mars today by wearing something red, even if it’s just a pin or a tie or a little flash of red on your socks. Mars also rules diamonds. So if you’re a diamond kind of person, this is a good day for wearing any diamond jewelry you might have.
Greetings from Listener Stephanie
Hey, April. It’s me, Stephanie, and let me see. I’m pretty sure I began listening to the Big Sky Astrology podcast from the very beginning. I think it was Mel Lara who told me about it. I’m pretty sure she’s the one who told me about it, and I’m sure that she found out about it through the San Diego Astrological Society, which is how I know you and Mel and a bunch of other really cool astrologers. And I don’t know, I just really appreciate the work that you do. It’s my morning ritual as I drive to work every Monday and it just really starts my week off, right? So thank you for that.
Today’s Moon
And now it’s time for the Moon report. As longtime listeners know, Podathon is the week when we can really give the Moon a little extra attention because there are some days each week when not much else is happening, other than the Moon making aspects to other planets and maybe changing signs or being Void-of-Course.
This is one of those days! The Moon is in Taurus on Tuesday morning and makes a trine aspect to Pluto before going Void-of-Course at 9:45 AM Pacific Time. It’s Void-of-Course for three and one quarter hours before it enters Gemini at 1:06 PM
Now, Taurus represents stability and also how we cover our essential needs. So this is a Void-of-Course Moon time for appreciating what we have – good health, a roof over our heads, food in the refrigerator, and as the Moon is trine Pluto and begins this Void-of-Course period, appreciate the power and privilege that come with having the necessities of life covered.
At 6:49 PM Pacific Time, the Moon squares Saturn, and that is a moment when something, some piece of news, a social media post, whatever it is, reminds you of just how fortunate you are relative to others who are really struggling or compared to other times that you yourself have faced real problems.
A Look at the Void-of-Course Moon
This week I am taking the opportunity to talk in a little more detail about a few of the concepts that come up on virtually every episode of the podcast. Today I’m going to explain a little bit about these Void-of-Course Moon periods.
There are actually a variety of ways of determining when the Moon is Void-of-Course. It was done quite differently, say in medieval times, in William Lily’s day. But in the modern tradition, I was taught that the Void-of-Course Moon refers to that period of varying length every couple of days or so, when the Moon has finished making all the major aspects it will make to other planets before it changes to the next sign.
The aspects that we take into consideration are conjunctions, sextiles, squares, trines, and oppositions, and it only refers to the moon’s applying aspects to the planets, not the nodes, not Chiron or asteroids or angles. Traditional astrologers might even get pretty hardcore about it and say that you should forget about Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. But if you’re a modern astrologer like me, you go ahead and count them.
Now, when I was a little baby astrologer and had only read about the Void-of-Course Moon in books, I didn’t even know what the expression meant, and I thought it was something like “void: of course!”. But it just means that the Moon does not have a course. It does not have a strongly defined path because it’s not applying to aspects to any other planet. I was taught that the Void-of-Course Moon symbolizes those times when things that are initiated will not come to fruition, that outcomes are uncertain, that things don’t proceed as we expect. These are astrological dead zones.
I was taught they were supposed to be unhappy times to start new projects, meet new people, make important purchases. In short, if you initiated something on a Void-of-Course Moon, nothing would come of the matter. I was taught that these are poor times to initiate action on matters that you want to have a fruitful outcome to schedule things that are dependent on a strict timeline or to initiate something in hopes of a predictable outcome.
But I was also taught that there are advantages to the Void-of-Course Moon. My teacher used to say, mail your tax return on a Void-of-Course Moon, and you will never be audited. I have to say I have followed that advice for many years and I have never had trouble with the IRS, but to be honest, I don’t personally actually know anybody who has been audited by the IRS. I know they’re out there, but the people that I know haven’t been, and I know they are not filing on a Void-of-Course Moon, at least not on purpose! But it is one of these little rituals that can make text time a little more fun.
But don’t believe everything you hear about the VOC Moon; I’ve personally had experience of several big events in my life that started during one of these periods, including meeting my husband – and we’ve been going strong for 30 years!
There used to be an astrologer named Darrell Martinie who called himself the Cosmic Muffin. He used to have a horoscope segment on the local Los Angeles radio station that I listened to on my way to work, and he was fond of saying that Void-of-Course Moon days were good for starting a diet or breaking other bad habits. I suppose the idea was that there are no further planetary aspects to interfere with the Moon, which represents the matter, and so you would stick to your resolve.
So I’ve often thought of this as the time to plan or initiate things you don’t really want to go anywhere, like the tax audit to break habits or to end things. There are usually a few of these Void-of-Course Moon periods each week, and I do cover them on the show because I think that they’re great openings for breaking habits and letting things go. I offer them to you in each episode in that spirit.
Remember to Donate!
Well, that is everything I have on my show sheet, so I’m gonna wrap this one up. Thank you for listening to the Big Sky Astrology podcast and for joining me for this fourth annual Podathon. This weekly podcast is audience funded and your generous donations help me keep the podcast coming to you without ads.
To donate, please go to BigSkyAstropod.com.
Anyone who donates $10 or more will receive access to a complete online beginner’s mini course, and if you donate $25 or more, you’ll be automatically entered in my raffle. For a chance to win one of two personalized copies of my Followed by a Moonshadow Eclipse report to help you get ready for October’s Eclipses. One winner will get enrollment in one of my upcoming courses. One extra specially lucky winner will get a free 60 minute reading with me and one super lucky winner. We’ll get a full 90-minute reading with me.
I’ll be thanking all the donors on the air in the months to come, but if you don’t want me to mention your name, just email me at april@bigskyastrology.com and I’ll make sure that we keep your identity top secret.
Thanks very much to all of you for joining me on this Fourth Annual Podathon. Join me again, bright and early tomorrow morning for another episode, and until then, keep your feet on the ground and your eyes on the stars!
© 2023 by April Elliott Kent.
