Polyhymnia Direct

When I first saw this image it occurred to me what sculptors mean when they talk about
'liberating a form from a stone' ...the above being a photograph of August Rodan's 1901 work,
'La Pensee' (The Thinker), currently housed at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
(photographer unknown)

In addition to waving a flag of reminder that Mercury will be leaving Scorpio (by retrograde) and re-entering Libra on the 11th at 5:28 in the afternoon (UT/+0 time), there’s also a little matter of asteroid Polyhymnia going direct.

When is it going direct? On October 11th (UT/+0) at 6:05 in the evening...which means its station 'allowance' began on the 9th and extends through October 13th.

As one of the Greek Muses, you might be thinking that Polyhymnia would be all sweetness, giggles and light. But if you were thinking that, you’d be wrong. Though attributed with all the standard 'muse-type' qualities of being poetic and creative, Polyhymnia is also always described as rather serious...even pensive. And these are qualities we see reflected in Polyhymnia in the natal chart and by transit, where it's combination of 'creativity' and 'serious nature' points to matters which we are taking seriously (or which we need to take seriously) which require something more of us than some boiler plate or stock-pat-well-rehearsed knee jerk answer.

This is not a moment for glossing over anything. Nor is it a time for being flip as Polyhymnia being on station is going to cause others to take you (or what you're putting out there) rather seriously even if you're only having a bit of fun.

Moreover, in going direct at 13 Pisces, Polyhymnia is going to be doing its ‘turnabout’ in a perfect conjunction with Chiron, symbolizing a theme concerning something we need to be or which we will be/become [Polyhymnia] creative with or about - be that by our own choice, or because something or someone has inspired us.

However... (you knew there was a catch, right?)... whatever it is we need to contend with is something we don’t know how to do - or at least that’s our feeling on the subject.

That’s the Chiron part of the thing. Chiron always tests our ability (and willingness) to ‘govern’ our Self instead of letting passions rule our attitude, choices and actions - and Chiron subjects are particularly ironic as they’re rather classically of the ‘do as I say, not as I do’ variety. Not out of lack of caring or some sort of arrogance, mind you, but because Chiron points to something we understand in someone else’s hands, but haven’t clue one about when left on our own with exactly the same challenge.

Chiron acts a bit like a mental blind spot. And yet we aren’t really blind in that department, we just don’t know how to do ‘it.’ And the strange thing about this is that the thing we lack - the knowing how to do - is exactly the point of any Chirotic exercise as the ‘solution’ to Chiron problems is found in the doing.

You know... doing that thing you don’t know how to do.

Now there is some chance that Polyhymnia going direct in absolute conjunction with Chiron will signal some serious reflection and from there, some tackling or taking on of worthwhile efforts. Given 13 Pisces is the ‘lens’ through which events/actions will tend/need to function, we are not alone in our efforts, either - which is not saying there’s any ‘partner’ or anything like that, though there may be. But more than that, there’s an aura of interactivity here which which it could refer to our dealing with some choice or consequence rooted in the past is probably far more importantly connected to something in present-day events and times.

Sholem Aleichem crater on Planet Mercury

(photo credit: NASA, Johns Hopkins University/Applied Physics lab,

Carnegie Institute of Washington, January 2008)

Already in retrograde, Mercury will have re-entered Libra about a day in advance of Polyhymnia's station, which makes the first part of the station period more Scorpionic, emotional and reflective of joined or joint values, which the naming of this year's Nobel Peace Prize winners certainly reflects as the award symbolizes what people jointly value in what others have done (which is essential Scorpio energy in action). And yes, the reasons why the award was given to the people it was given to also fits the Scorpio description, with the point being that once Mercury does retrograde back into Libra (on October 10th at 5:28 in the evening, UT/+0 time) whatever happens, whatever is reflected on in world/worldly affairs around us or in our life will be more Libran.

Libra reflects what we think of others, what others think of us, what thoughts, choices, actions and representations work or don't work. Libra is an air sign. Scorpio, being a water sign is about how we feel as we interact with deal with others and issues in our world. And what's interesting about these two signs is how interwoven they really are. This may be your Polyhymnia thought for the day (or not), but one of the premier tricks of the trade (astrological trade, that would be) with Libra and Scorpio is to remember how their 'solutions' are most easily found through using the attribute of the other.

In other words, wherever interactions promote or provoke Scorpio emotionality, its exactly the kind of coolly rational thinking Libra is so known for which assists in making all those important choices. And in Libra - the rational air sign that it is - thinking emotionally and thinking about emotionality on both (or all sides) of any situation is essential and the more 'equal' you can be about it, the better.

Mind you, Libra's 'equal' does not mean 'identical.' With any of the signs from the 3rd quadrant (Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius) assuming that values or notions or aims or needs-desires-longings are identical nearly always brings about a defeat or other kind of setback or delay. So just as Libra stands for the appreciation or outrage we associate with whether someone else thinks about our feelings and aims (etc.) is natural - and generally classed by us as necessary - so too do we have to think about others in any and all Libra situations.

Apart from Mercury's retrograding back into Libra as a force for considering, reconsidering, investigating and negotiating, two other things will be happening as Polyhymnia makes its turn. The first concerns the Sun, which at 19 Libra is conjuncting the lunar North Node, spelling a day of weighing  options which in the end (either on this date or down the line) lead to the sorts of choices which necessarily come with a 'price tag' of effort and dedication of a particularly focused type. Plus, since the North Node always stresses a 'needed or necessary relationship,' these days are unlikely to be unaffected by others.

The other transit-of-the-moment concerns Venus (in Libra) and Uranus (in Aries) coming into opposition in respective signs. Often simply regarded as an indicator of fancy, fad, flings and frivolousness, we don't often think of anything permanent coming from a combination like this, though certainly the effects of Uranian 'break through' energies and the Venus drive to create/bring things into being which provide benefit (with the selfishness/selflessness of such aim/s being defined by sign-placement-aspect of natal Venus) may play out over some time to come.

Venus/Uranus tends towards sudden, impulsive actions. Sometimes that can open a door, though with Mercury in retrograde any door which opens will benefit from thorough understanding and a healthy side helping of patience with an eye to dealing with problems, challenges and efforts creatively.

Against that however, are we even capable of patient perseverance at this time? Is there some valid need to (Venus/Uranus) raise a flag, pitch a fit or otherwise abandon normalcy in the name of who we are or aren't to others and thus (Libra) who they are or aren't to us? Reflecting on just this much may well be worthwhile providing we are willing to be creative with our thinking and how we approach the Polyhymnia-Chiron challenge to stop 'knowing' what's wrong with someone else (and how they go about doing/not doing things) in favor of dealing with a highly similar (Chirotic) challenge in our own life.

The solar eclipse of March 29, 2006 (at 8 Aries) as photographed from near Manavgat, Turkey

(photo credit: Michael Zapf, 2006)

Are we willing to move beyond our own comfort zone? Considering the proximity of this Chiron/Polyhymnia station to the October 23rd Scorpio solar eclipse in a moment when Chiron/Polyhymnia is in sextile with Scorpio's 'outcome ruler' (Pluto, which is in this moment positioned at 11 Capricorn)... we are in a position from which we can see...or sense at least part of our future.

The problem is we don't like it very much. Some of us don't like that future because it will take so much effort to get there. Some of us won't like that future (even though we've had a hunch on just this topic for some time now) because it requires letting go of or 'updating' some facet, factor or operational standard from the past.

Either way, is that any reason to not create the inevitable with a trace of our input in the mix?
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Jupiter in Leo

Jupiter and moon Io photographed in thermal-infrared from the Paranal Observatory

(photo credit ESO, November 2000)

That Mercury is going to be exiting the shadow of its recent retrograde on the same date (July 16) that Jupiter enters Leo would seem to be nothing less than a billboard: new things are on the horizon.

Or are they? Are they really there - or are we being fooled by something we want so badly we’re willing, able and ready to test (read: risk) not just success but some measure of our inner confidence in Self? Are we willing to deal with 'feeling questions' pertaining to how well (or not well) we use - or have used - what we’ve learned up to this point?

Something is going to change here (or at least evolve from here) in reflection of Pluto reaching 11 Capricorn, a degree it will remain in until September 17th when Pluto dips back into 10 Capricorn for just over a week as it goes direct (on September 23rd) before returning to 11 Capricorn for the period of September 28th through November 25th.

Something is going to change. Representing the ability (particularly in verbal form) to reveal falsehoods and what one writer refers to as 'superstitious and misguided beliefs' on the part of one or many, the degree 11 Capricorn is associated with the sort of mathematical ability and "precision thinking" (technical or theoretical) which organizes quickly and which tends to be so driven (read: impatient) to achieve that little in the way of delay or alternative thinking tends to be tolerated.

And where it isn't tolerated, that may well lead to a  distortion in some relationship, creating some sort of distance between parties simply because sheer ability on one side now appears not as brilliance, but rather as arrogance, bullying or manipulation of some 'other.'

As Jupiter moves into Leo on that appointed morning at 10:31 a.m. (UT/+0), not everyone will feel the shift. But we are likely (more than likely) to see some more or less immediate manifestations of this combination of Leo imagination and creativity with Jupiter’s power of expansion.

In Leo, the question is what we will create, why we are motivated to do everything (and sometimes anything)... and whether we are able to balance Leo’s inner vision of ‘the possible’ with external real world factors. The positive side of Leo is known for brilliance of nature and a cheerful sort of drive which is curious about the new and willing to tackle tough tasks for the good of all, from which comes respect for one’s Leo efforts - whatever they may be and however they may be expressed even if that’s just keeping after yourself (creatively, of course) in the name of being a person others enjoy being around.

As for the negative side of Leo, though I’m sure any number of Leo people will respond with ‘there is no negative side of Leo’... after the chuckle comes the truth: while Leo is a sign which evidences much deftly quick humor, such humor is more likely than not a deflection.

All signs deflect - evading, to some degree, is simply part of human nature... which makes it what, and the degree to which we deflect the source of our those Factors Avoided which come back to haunt us.

In Leo (a fire sign) there is a marked tendency to get ‘married’ to that feeling, that image, that thing we imagine could be ‘so right’... and then to be shocked and disappointed when real life doesn’t match the ethereal beauty of our seamlessly perfect inner concept.

Is that fair? No...but we do it anyway. And when it comes to Part 2 of Leo (Leo Part 1 being the creative drive to create anything from world records to films, leisure time, children, art work, profits in the stock market or anything else you might think to create)... it’s how we respond to those realities which count.

Reality (as generally represented by Aquarius as the Leo polarity) is never the problem per se...even if when it comes to Leo there is a tendency to ranting and tantrums while adapting to the inevitable. Some of us never get that frustrated (I’m not sure who they are, but such people surely exist)...and it’s to be expected that there will be a bit of tail lashing and roaring during Jupiter’s 2014-2015 transit of Leo.

The 'up' side to this is that as opposed to this past year’s Jupiter in Cancer there will be less emotionalism, less reliance on (or success with) subjective provocation based on emotionality. Where we are able to motivate our Self or others through ideas, we may well be able to build momentum by focusing on our “projects” (be they our families, jobs or some personal goal we want to reach). But that is only likely to reap success if and where what we do (our ‘cause’)  meshes well enough with existing or ongoing social, group, systemic or marketplace (Aquarian) functionalities.

Part of that - and part of what we are going to be exploring this year in each of our daily lives has to do with a couple of zodiacal basics. The first is how any accessing of Leo represents an astrological shift from the first four signs of the zodiac (Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer) to the second group of four: Leo, Virgo, Libra and Scorpio.

As the first four signs of the zodiac are about learning about our Self and how to go about simply being a person in an (Aries) body with human needs and attributes of the (Taurus) physical, (Gemini) mental and (Cancer) emotional kind, the second four are all about how interacting with others and our more-or-less ‘everyday’ world teaches us about who we are in conjunction with that world - sparking ideas on what to do IN that world.

Hence the Leo creativity thing. Mind you, this is still a sign which is below the natural zodiac horizon - so it’s still personal. It’s still part of our more-or-less private world, which reflects as Leo being the sign of the imagination’s image... the ‘film’ in our head - and yes, the ones we see on the screen (or on whatever device you’re using these days).

Again, it’s this ‘private’ quality which is so very comfy-cozy which gets us trouble, lulling us with that divinely delicious perfection of inner vision into thinking life... reality... is the premier Leo challenge. Reality is never a ‘problem’- reality is just reality, and yes there can be terrible things happening IN reality, but that’s the way things are.

Reality has several homes in the zodiac: the first one is the earth, land, ashes-to-ashes-dust-to-dust quality of mortal life... the Cancerian venue. The other is Capricorn - the daunting requirement to make the effort to make something out of our Self so that we continue the business of survival.

Leo is in a peaceful and harmonious aspect with neither sign... and in that can represent how we fight in reality or with our personal reality...and what we can come up with to improve our life, and just maybe all of life as well.Deep in the human spirit is a desire to make contributions to this life. Some do it through having children. Some do it through their work. However we see this ‘making my mark in this world’ that’s the Leo thing.

With Jupiter transiting Leo, we can all expect to be thinking about who we are and what we’re doing with our life... against which will be ranged all sorts of interesting challenges. Some will come from our just wanting to enjoy ourselves and do nothing. Some will come from those who though perfectly willing to invest in their own vision, clearly have no concept that anyone (or anything) else has a vision of their own.

Jupiter in Leo creates our mythic self... and then explores it. Leo is the sign of dating, competition and speculation... so we have to be prepared for some setback this year, with most of our errors coming from overstepping our bounds or (to put it differently) by exceeding our understanding of real world parameters which really exist and which we really do need to know about and heed. Leo is the sign of the parent’s love for the child or our love for anything we nurture on an ongoing basis... and yet does that love in and of itself guarantee that your child is going to grow up to be a wonderful person?

No, it doesn’t. And that very lack of insight we have on ourselves (typically) as parents which causes so many wonderful people to be blatantly blind to the problems with their offspring...that’s the example of the Great Leo Blind Spot - which for the next year or so is likely to be more evident than ever, if maybe not to others.

Or maybe not to us.

Jupiter's Great Red Spot as photographed by the Voyager 1 Spacecraft

(photo credit: NASA-JPL, February 1979)

Between these two points lies the needle of success (as we judge that personally) under Jupiter in Leo, the combination which purports to say ‘what you see is what you get’ when in reality (yes, that reality) Jupiter in Leo is a combination which can manifest as the very essence of the performance. Celebrity as motivation and as that thing which is not the ‘real life’ of the given celebrity - both these qualities are entirely Leo and we’re likely to see see them play out this year in the charts of many currently known and as-yet unknown. Children, childlike as well as childish behaviors (on the part of adults and others) can be a venue of discovery and disturbance of the status quo in any of a number of ways...so long as we learn from it, life is likely to provide it somewhere along the way through this leonine Jovian year. Aquarius against Leo manifests (as all sign polarities do) in any of a number of ways, but especially through the end of 2014 (that being the last of the fixed sign eclipses for a bit) issues which test our ability to balance moderation against excess and perceive where we need to be proper or cautious without being so cautious or ‘separated’ in whatever way that we end up undermining ourselves or our own greater (Aquarian) interests.

In other words, in some way we’re all going to discover we have a bit of a case of personal myopia (shortsightedness)... with just a bit of social astigmatism (fuzziness of focus) to make it extra-special challenging.

And yet...in the sense of ‘can I correct my vision?’ the lesson would be decidedly yes: wherever we see Jupiter by transit there is an ability to grow providing we are actually willing to go through whatever growing pains are involved. In Leo this Jupiterian expansiveness can mean an expansion of enthusiasm, success and all those wonderful feelings of freedom-in-accomplishment we all so love to revel in. Then again, Jupiter in Leo can also manifest as  ever-increasing convictions that what is ‘mine’ must be defended at all costs simply because my ‘rightness’ or even just my right to be wrong is getting challenged.

All and all, we can count on several (more) miles of that road to foolish human stubbornness to be paved (and heedlessly paved over) this year, mostly by those who for whatever reason are focused on the image or ideal to the exclusion of real life, realities and other living, breathing entities on this planet.

Jupiter in Leo is a recipe for great opportunity.

It’s also a sure-fire promise that insistence on theory (or out-of-hand rejection of something) can be instantly and lastingly detrimental. Under Jupiter in Leo we are all likely to find something we enjoy or are at least entertained by. Then again, we might have to face a couple of situations which ask us whether we’re willing (or even psychologically equipped) to face setbacks or defeat.

Might we really not be be the hero we are in our own mind? (It could just be true.)

Then again, maybe we don’t want to be a hero, merely heroic from time to time. Jupiter in Leo is a time we can learn the difference between such things and in that, to become far more comfortable in our own human skin, finding ways to be more creative, productive and available - not just to others but to ourselves. Through letting go of definitions Jupiter in Leo can become a time to launch a new venture, take on some personal adventure or to make more of life among old friends and new acquaintances. It’s a time to stretch our limbs and flex our muscles, be they physical, mental or emotional. The deeply provocative element of Jupiter in Cancer will fade as perspectives shift, offering fresher outlooks, some of which will allow and encourage us to soar.

Others will merely leave us (or others) sore - for which we may not feel sorry at all. So long as the competition is ethical, Jupiter in Leo supports the ‘all out’ willingness to give the cause what it is you’ve got.

And where we do bend, break or otherwise color outside the boundaries (a little of which at least is inevitable), eventualities will get us back, eventually putting us back on our right course.

It’s all part of Jupiter in Leo empowerment with regards to knowing who we are - and aren’t.  Sometimes we just have to cram one foot in our copiously open mouth while hopping madly in the direction of some giant cliff to learn for ourselves that - never mind what anyone says about limits - we do actually have limits which we had better learn to respect and mind.

Jupiter in Leo can open doors. It will also undoubtedly teach us all at least a few tough lessons about what the term ‘immature’ really means...in every sense. The ‘ping-pong’ of Leo-Aquarius says how we (Leo) ‘take’ things isn’t so much about how or what the (Aquarius) other person says as much as it tests and delivers a readout on our relationship to whatever it is we haven’t yet mastered...which psycho-emotionally ‘reads’ internally (to us) as vulnerability.

Yes, we get to learn about how some glitches work over the next few months...which which comes the opportunity for skillful development and the acquisition of insights which in their own right (over time...probably in a couple of years) may prove out to amount to additional skills.

As for things which will happen along the Jovian path through Leo, here are a few notes on the subject (no doubt to be added to as things go along):

Black Moon Lilith (external factors we deny or are denied by) conjuncts fixed star Dubhe on July 17th. Dubhe being an emblem of mothering either in the personal sense or through whatever we may personally think of as a “mother” force (such as ‘Mother Nature’), as opposed to things which are thought of as ‘father’ (like ‘Father Time’) the metaphysical ‘mother’ is more about whatever contains us as well as that which can support or protect us... but which in some other situation might just overwhelm us.

Said to have a rather ‘Mars-like’ nature, Dubhe lends a deal of motivation and strength of will to whatever passes over it’s position...which at the moment is 15 Leo, one of the zodiacal cross-quarter points.

As a transition, each of the zodiac’s four cross-quarter points moves us from a time of learning or watching into a ‘bigger’ (read: slightly more matured) world of operating where by leaning on what we do know we attempt to forge ahead.

And no, we generally don’t like it. Each of the cross-quarter points falling at the center-point of all four fixed signs indicates that.

Still...what’s our choice? We can learn, grow and try - or we can remain where we are, which if we consider Leo as the fifth of twelve signs is rather like arresting our own development at about age eleven and a half, instead of pursuing the rest of the path to adulthood.

On the other hand, that ‘about age eleven a half’ thing? That is the length of a Jupiter cycle, you know. Jupiter cycles once around the Sun in 11.86 years, making the general realm of this mid-Leo cross-quarter age a highly critical one in the whole of human development.

Some of us make it. Some people don’t.

So as the Black Moon encounters Dubhe, for several days before and after (one suspects) much will be seen, heard, felt and realized along the denial/need-to-not-deny-for-reasons-of-immaturity front. In some cases such situations will start and continue on, in some there will be a start and resolution. (Or resolution to not resolve anything, a solution which seems to be gaining in popularity at the moment.)

Whichever way whatever falls, Jupiter itself will then arrive at Leo’s 15 degree cross-quarter point on September 27th, by which time the Black Moon will have moved on to 23 Leo, putting it in opposition to Damocles [reference: “the sword of Damocles”] ...with Damocles being positioned in Aquarius.

The Sword of Damocles by Wenceslas Hollar (1607-1677)

Whatever we have done (or not done) this would seem to be a resurrection of the matter. It may be in simple review, it may be a re-eruption of challenge. Black Moon Lilith, being a ‘function’ of Earth’s Moon is always somewhat visceral, always somewhat poignant...and here would seem to be bringing us around to realizing that things just aren’t as simple as we were thinking they were going to be.

What we thought cut and dried may have gone and gotten itself all soggy, in other words.

As of November 19th Jupiter then enters 22 Leo. And since 22 Leo is the degree Jupiter will go retrograde at on December 8th (and thereafter remain in - in retrograde - until December 29th), we’re in for a lot of Jupiter/22 Leo interjections.

As a degree 22 Leo speaks to sensitivities which though insubstantial may well prove beneficial except where we become so devoted to being obliging (read: overly obliging) that we become more involved with our own feelings (and anxieties) which revolve around our own desire to be appreciated, wanted, loved, liked, cheered on and in general...(yes)...the myth we are in our own mind.

(Do we hear a pattern here?)

Moreover, all of this dovetails rather interestingly with the idea that Uranus’ 2014/early 2015 degree emphasis is on 13 Aries, a degree which tend to surface in tough and trying situations which lore suggests are far more about the perfecting and purification of our own souls than anything we encounter in real time.

...All of which we would think has been metaphysically also commented on by the recent astrological stationing of TNO Typhon at 13 Aries’ polarity degree (13 Libra) we meandered through the contemplations of in the course of the following post:

- link to -

Typhon/Eurydike - Chiron/Psyche: Minding Stations

It all seems to go together...especially in light of the fact that this October will see us experiencing a solar eclipse (at 0 Scorpio) which is sure to - among other things - bring home to us the benefits and penalties of not acknowledging equal values to all sides of any conversation, negotiation, affiliation or operation simply because we’re unwilling to allow for any other point of view apart from our own.

Some will say that this eclipse is the evidencing of karma, and I’m not against that concept except for noting that the physical karma we experience under anything Scorpionic is always about the emotions which surround, underlie, motivate or are bestirred as a result of something we are choosing to try to control (as opposed to understanding why we feel so threatened by it).

Only in retrograde for just under four months, Jupiter will then go direct (at 12 Leo) on April 8th, a date which falls between 2015’s 29 Pisces solar eclipse on March 20th and the accompanying lunar eclipse (at 14 Libra, a degree which tends to manifest through action as opposed to 13 Libra’s more mental-emotional-spiritual orientation) which will occur on April 4th... all of which is likely to serve as a ‘parting of the ways’ as successes fall away from various failures and efforts to reorganize in the face of needing to try, try again.

Some of what is happening then will be as part of...or as a result of things which are happening now, or which have come to light over the past several months (read: since mid/late February). As shown by the Sun, Uranus and Psyche being conjunct (to the degree) in the chart of this moment the clarity of this time may be delightful.

Then again, it may simply be excessive. Remember, Jupiter is about expansion, and that can as easily be over-expansion or doing more than is advisable or even good for you (or the given project you’re working on). There is growth...and as any cancer specialist will tell you, there is the kind of uncontrolled and unchecked growth which causes harm.

Jupiter has never been known for any qualities of moderation. The Roman god was known for great wisdom but some terrible (and terribly self-defeating) habits which time and again had Jupiter (aka Zeus, if you’re inclined to the Greek) learning his lessons about just what he could do, but not get away with.

So it is with us...which is why Jupiter’s year of transiting Leo holds such promise for us all, whether that’s about what we achieve or the joy of feeling empowered by coming to understand why we haven’t excelled up until now and what that means about who we are... and who we aren’t.

Maybe you've already felt yourself moving towards some new mode - that thing which will entice your Leo spirit to 'play' over (at least) the next year. Or maybe (as just happened to me quite unexpectedly)...maybe someone will validate something you've been certain of, or have been working on or towards for some very long time.

Jupiter in Leo is about fruitfulness and fruition...and even that point at which the finish line is in sight, bolstering our appreciation of that Self which in spite of all and because of much has made it to this brand new point - the point at which we feel ready to be more of who we really are.
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New Years, New Moon

New Years fireworks at the London Eye

(photo credit: John Turner, January 1, 2008)

To turn the calendar page to 2014 and find a New Moon in Capricorn seems almost obvious. After all, Capricorn is all about what we do and achieve and aim for in the world and January – for most of us – means a variety of things.
 
You know, like facing beginning another round of record tallying for last year as we begin this one.

You know – that stuff. The stuff which is about being in and part of this world. The stuff we have to do (like our job in life, whatever that may be). Capricorn exudes responsibility. Events under Capricorn tend to elicit our sense of responsibility (to self or others) and all that prompts us to learn right from wrong what either underperforming or excess can be and/or add or detract from life…

…it’s all so very Capricorn-ish.

But when it comes to lunations, the theory is this: Moon and Earth are in this centrifugal-centripetal orbit dance driven by magnetism and other nifty universal forces… and as planet (Earth) and satellite (Moon) go through their dances, so do we.

(Okay, so I’m still in dance-lingo mode. Give me a few days, will you?)

The point here (no, I’m not going all ballet on you) is that by identifying the nature of the cycle we can bear that in mind. Once we ‘get a (Moon) feel’ for how this month’s cycle works, we can make the most of it.

10 Capricorn New Moon - January 1, 2014

(Aries Wheel - Location not Specific)

DISCLAIMER: We are under Venus retrograde – also in Capricorn. Hard work is required – first of all on our attitude towards our abilities or aims (or dislike of, or issues with same).

Don’t plan any capering through the rose petal parties, in other words.

(Yes, I know...I'll stop now.)

In that things don’t ‘feel right’ however, that’s probably part of what we could think of as ‘temporal motivation’ – the universe’s way of bringing about that which will get us into a “January mode” for ‘taking care of business.’

As for 10 Capricorn, the foundation of this lunation, that is a degree which is defined (by being one of Capricorn’s second ten degrees) as a quality which functions through (by eliciting responses) us – either by eliciting our response or which we embody in our choices and actions…OR which manifests as some sense or feeling which gets us to dealing with our aims and place in the world – whatever that may mean in the moment.

And that last bit…? The ‘in the moment’ part? That’s maybe the hardest part of dealing with the Moon – and often life (she says in a thoroughly philosophically if ever-so-slightly cynical manner)…things which feel like forever, for most of us aren’t – and things which we don’t care about in the moment can come back to haunt us.

Being founded in 10 Capricorn, the lunation which begins at 11:15 a.m. (UT/+0 time) on January 1st is going to usher in a month of sensitivity to a bigger picture and some need to reevaluate some personal priority (big or small). The pluses tend towards an increased understanding of acute awareness while minuses come from “being depressed” (or maybe repressed or even oppressed) in some way.

There’s a reckoning of sorts to be had this month, and with Pluto at 11 Capricorn (did I hear you say ‘oh goodie’…?) there are transformational forces at work which we each will come across in our own way, place and zone. The issue is ‘challenges’ and our problem is scope. Secrets we keep and what we know is probably merely a ‘mask’…or the ‘masking’ of matters becomes something we encounter, learn from and in reflecting on, are transformed by – though as usual, since we’re talking Pluto this is likely to be a facet of a greater cyclic shaping of your life.

That cycle began about a year and a half ago (call it the mid-latter part of 2012). What happens now plays into that in an ‘another thought for that bin’ sort of way while being something which is its own ‘thing’ and of separate interest right now.

With Mercury at 12 Capricorn, thoughts and thoughtfulness count now. To be clever is one thing – to be boorish or overly proud, another. It’s not what we can do now which counts…it’s why we do it, and why those others are who they are to us.

That seems the bottom line. However…

(Yes, I hear you holding your breath.)

…of course there’s a catch.

(Oh, don’t fuss at me! When was the last time you heard of a cycle of any type without a catch?)

This particular ‘catch’ is known as a Grand Square.

This particular grand square is in cardinal (action oriented) signs. So there’s a lot of tension about things we want to do, need to do, would like to do or want to see done (or see others do – or feel them wanting us to do). That’s another part of this giant cosmic lump of energy in Capricorn. (I’m thinking outer space oatmeal lumps here.) Life, the big world, our reputation – all that seems big giant stuff this month. (So says the girl about to release an autobiography which requires content warning labels.) With Venus retrograde things could be better than we think (hear me, oh doubters!). Or, for the particularly blithe and optimistic, the floor may be about to drop out from under us, particularly as that pertains to some notion about how to ‘effect’ or ‘be effective’ in some way which now seems – or comes to seem desirable, needed, necessary…or just ours to do because we can.

Sometimes the best form of responsibility is just living up to the responsibilities of being the best human being we know how to be, y‘know?

This kind of grand square in a lunation suggests this month will be active and maybe hectic. With Saturn (at 20 Scorpio) deposing/ruling the herd of (Moon-Sun-Pluto-Mercury-Venus) Capricorn positions we are told that the emotional-spiritual side of things (the “why” we do them) is important enough to need considering, but it should be considered along with everything else.

Hey, it’s Venus retrograde – like anything needs deciding about yet? Not likely. None of us yet have all the information, no matter what we think we’re doing.

This is a restless time. With this much cardinal energy abounding there are likely to be arguments – or at least uncomfortable confrontations or conversations. But this isn’t about any lack of constructive potential. Far from it! (So no copping out, okay?) About everything we could think of is emitting a subtle but thorough message which says if we allow the light to slowly come to us, it will come.

And if we don’t? If we deny that which is there to be learned from, it teaches us a lesson.

Our choice.

Right now the face of our internal ‘Moon’ is dark. But in a day or two, we will see how we feel.

And then that too shall pass.
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Pluto square Mars:December 28–January 1

New Year's fireworks in Copenhagen's Tivoli Garden

(photo credit: Stig Nygaard, January 2009)

Described by some as one of the colder degrees in the zodiac, 11 Capricorn has something of a questionable vibe all about using 'the other' with an emphasis on the sheer ability to use them. Or not.

It is a choice.

The whole aura of 11 Capricorn is about a ‘disregard’ for the consequences, which means that in some charts we could see this degree highlighted and it would represent someone into self harm. Taken from there into a more public realm 11 Capricorn makes us think about the way some people are users and some people seem into being used.

And yet…as with all astrological images, much of this is in how you take it, and how you use the choice implied – remembering this isn’t necessarily about you are someone else, it could be how you treat yourself. Or your abilities. Or preferences. Or  intelligence, feelings…whatever.

Starting on December 28, Mars will move past fixed star Diadem – the “crowning glory.” As that happens, we will be moving past some period of ‘crowning’ opportunity or activity or interactivity (to which most of us will say 'ah yes, Christmas...') in which, because this is Mars-the-Initiator we’re talking about(‘Mars the Initiator’ sounds like a superhero, doesn’t it?)…there may be something ‘initiated’ during this time which carries on, which develops, which lingers as a thought, conversation, project, effort, etc.

So that may carry on. The rest? Not so much.

Mars - which has just begun a super-long transit of Libra (I call 8 months instead of around 2 super-long!) – reaches 11 Libra on December 28th. And once it reaches 11 Libra, that’s Mars in square to 11 Capricorn, a sign that we are either going to be testing or tested in some area which involves responsibility, dedication and a large amount of conscious and measured effort on our part WHILE it also takes into account the wants, needs, likes and opinions of others.

And guess what’s at 11 Capricorn about the time Mars gets to 11 Libra? Pluto. So with Mars in Libra and Pluto in 11 Capricorn, we either have a recipe for freaky explosions and disruptions or transformations which just possibly may allow us to do what we’ve been wanting to do all along.

Or…yes…realize that we don’t really WANT that thing we thought we wanted all that much. Mars is bringing a lot of unusual ‘underbelly’ notions in from 10 Libra, a combination which focuses on seeing things we don’t normally see. They can be in others…or maybe this is the moment when we really see who we are. Or see ‘for ourselves’ what something is – or isn’t.

Mars/Pluto contacts are often associated with ‘flare ups’ too – whether physical, emotional or some old argument which gets re-hashed yet again. Infections, burns, old injuries and hurts (physical or emotional) may now get triggered.

Or healed. With Klotho (beginnings) at 11 Capricorn and Kallisto at 12 Capricorn, we may now begin to see how to ‘get from here to there’ in our life – whatever that means to you at the moment.

But given that Kallisto is part of this grouping, we’re going to have to ‘last’ it through to get where we really want to go. There are no easy solutions here.

(Wherever ‘here’ is in your life at the moment.)

This combination is also known for heated conflicts – though in the end, what is often found is that the one who strikes out did so out of a desire not to have to face their own truths – not really because the other side had been so awful. There’s a whole aura of wanting to manipulate a situation or dynamic here which must tends to be done with bias but which only really works if it’s done out of a sense of fair play. And since this Mars/Pluto square is happening with Sun conjunct Mercury (in Capricorn) things are going to be clear enough.

Maybe even “too clear.”

Or clearly something we don’t want to have to work or wait for!

To all of the above, one answer: 'you may have to.' And given that this is the wonderful world of Capricorn we're talking about, all the pluses and minuses are going to occur (in particular) if, when, and where we aren’t comfortable with our standing in the world.

This period may ask us to get past or ‘over’ a few things. And to accept forms of valid or mature perspective we don’t feel familiar with yet. (Or which we would rather not have to listen to.)

And yet...this Sun/Mercury link can also represent the heart and soul of seeing what's what. It's a classic indication for travel (which makes sense on December 29th of any year) and, given how there's a lighthearted, sort of fun-loving quality to this vibe, this may well be a wonderful time for friends as well as a valuable time in which to make connections or socialize with others not in a direct "work mode"...but more in that sense of getting to know people so that you can work together.

Or...yes...to see whether you might want to or not.

Planet Mars - specifically, the Acidalla Mare Erythraeum face of Mars as

photographed by NASA's Global Surveyor.

(photo credit: NASA-JPL)

This Mars square Pluto can be a powerful sign of ‘pulling one’s Self together’ - when you ready yourself for some big new effort (which getting through New Years just may be for you!). It may signal events which really let you know that it's time something needs to happen.
However…as Sun/Mercury will have moved into 9 Capricorn as Mars 'perfects' the square on December 30th...? That means we have to care about ever more energy being triggered as the Moon joins the Capricorn lineup at around 6 p.m. UT/+0 time.

This is about when the positive separates from iffy. Why? Well, 9 Capricorn is a very plus-or-minus degree in that it tends to reward the search for wisdom and utterly defeat (and sometimes punish) the search for purely material or selfish gain…which if you think of the Sun and Mercury igniting this celestial fuse on New Years Eve conjures up all sorts of scenarios.

And then there is the fact that this entire contemplation is the last ‘astrological act’ of 2013…and that it ends in a 10 Capricorn New Moon on New Year’s Day.

Technically, this means that however much we may be looking ahead and looking to change something or looking to do something – with all of that, we are also conscious (at least emotionally conscious) of letting this or that ‘thing’ go. That time, that place, that person, that ideal, that period of your life, that limitation, that hope….

…oh yes – and that year, since we’re letting go of 2013 in favor of 2014. But obviously this isn’t just about turning 2013 into 2014. So we all can expect a healthy measure of internal talking (to ourselves or with ourselves about what we think of things) with a lot of reflecting going on.

And hey…if we decide to make a few changes – isn’t that one of the traditional fun things to do as one calendar gets traded out for another?

But first, New Year’s Eve – have a great one!
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Mercury in Capricorn

An English country lane in Autumn

(photo credit: Jongleur100, 2008)

 

From late September to December we all lived through the intensity of Mercury in Scorpio. Compared to that, the couple of weeks of Mercury in Sagittarius were a fling. A gallop. A blink and a flight and a chuckle and a time when time was doing one of the things time does best – flying by.

Of course there is the fact that during Mercury’s December 5th through 24th transit of Sagittarius Uranus also went direct. Uranus on station always requires flexibility and with this one all caught up in things Mars, that flexibility was in high demand (along with the need to direct your focus, lest your focus end up getting you into trouble, directly).

In that sense, Mercury in Sagittarius couldn’t have come at a better time – even if the down side of Mercury in Sagittarius tends to be overstepping bounds and things getting out of hand.

Maybe in the cosmic/karmic sense had we been any more confined or self-restricted than we were (if Mercury had still been in Scorpio, for example) we would have only made things worse. Life’s opportunities do tend to want to provide for us, we just have to be willing to avail ourselves of that ultimately good thing which may not be the easy thing.

And sometimes not even the likely-seeming thing.

So Venus went retrograde on the 21st – in Capricorn, setting the stage for six weeks of trying to get something better from ourselves, not others. This is support-of-self time – and considering Mars having moved into Libra (sign of relating through interactions) on December 7th we’re in for weeks yet of having to deal with people knowing they don’t know (and for some, care) what we’re all ‘about’ at the moment.

Is that true? Maybe or maybe not, but anything life can pull to get us to pull back to a place where we’re considering how we may need to change considering how everything in our lives has changed – of late and otherwise – that’s what life is going to come up with.

This Venus-Mars Capricorn-Libra square is likely to manifest in all sorts of things which bog us down, tie us up, totally bug us and otherwise force us to focus on things which well may need doing and which may even benefit us in time.

But it’s not what we WANT.

Venus and Mars both relate as ‘modifiers’ of our feelings and emotions, so to have them in square with one (Venus) in retrograde suggests having to put something which makes sense over personal preference.

So what do we stand to get from that? A whole grumpy planet. :(

And then Mercury enters Capricorn. The date? December 24th, which would be just as Mars and Uranus are nearing the crispy crackle of their potentially enlightening, perhaps invigorating and just possibly unnerving opposition. There will be some who react to this shift by getting serious – and it is to be expected that some odd ‘last minute’ Christmas/holiday maneuvers will go into gear with just hours to go before midnight.

Then again, this combination may mark travel difficulties. And for a few, depression – intermittent or otherwise – or depression’s far more manageable cousin, disappointment. The first days of this transit are likely to be the most difficult what with the working through of Mars/Uranus, but after that it may well simply be useful to think of this transit as the collected sort of ‘realistic’ thinking, communicating and/or organized efforts we need to be focused on now so as to make the best of Venus retrograde.

The positive here is that Mercury in Capricorn is a credence to us that we can make a difference in our own life and as pertains to our own goals – as ikky as we might think the process of reaching them may be. Throughout these weeks moments and situations and things simply become clearer than ever, for whatever reason.

With the Sun, Mercury, Pluto and Venus all in Capricorn that’s a lot of drive. Determination. Willpower. It’s all about getting down to whatever represents the structure, the idea, the construct upon which we can build and have what we build last. A good number of us will spend at least part of these weeks working towards ‘proving’ something (to self or others) while others will be waiting something out. Neither is right or wrong provided your aim isn’t manipulative. In other words, if you’re taking some stand because you believe in it, that’s fine. But if you’re taking some stand because you are hoping someone else will ‘see your point’ (or otherwise ‘see the light’), that’s not likely to go all that well; either the point won’t get made or whatever you will have done to make that point will set you back in your own life in terms of everything you need to do.

This whole period – meaning the eight long(ish) months that will see Mars through Libra (a sign ruled by Venus, let us remember) is going to be hard for many of us. By generation, the Baby Boomers (Pluto in Leo) are going to be hell-bent on doing what they think they need to do in the world – and please, don’t try to distract them, lest you hurt yourself in the effort. Under Mercury in Capricorn, the Baby Boomers are always likely to take on too much…and yet, since only that which works for everyone is going to work for them, that’s a bit of a problem. This is a headstrong generation which is fine when pursuing their own goals if a little short on the ability to see the issue when others see things differently.

And yes, they’re going to get a few opportunities to do some of that seeing over these next few weeks.

All this will be going on as Pluto in Virgo peopled are continuing an ongoing shift from the way they want things to work to the way they will work if one is willing to make a few changes. Like Pluto in Scorpio, Pluto in Virgo is a generation used to taking its cues from what goes on around them and in the world which Mercury in Capricorn certainly supports, even if the changing world denoted by Pluto in Capricorn and Uranus in Virgo is forcing this generation to rearrange their thinking and methodologies.

To Pluto in Virgo people, Mercury’s transit of Capricorn is a time to figure things out. With Venus retrograde in Capricorn, not only can hasty decisions can be wasteful but what is to be gained by thinking things through is not to be ignored.

The Pluto in Scorpio-Gen Y folks will also be having a time of things for this next while, but their challenge is less about changing who they are than it is about dealing with the actualities and realities of who they are…and perhaps some limit or constraint that puts on some plan.

(Or at least how you had thought said plan was going to work, that margin of error being your next little clue in the puzzle.)

Then there’s the Millennial Pluto in Sagittarius tribe – which is having a hassle of a whole different kind, namely the difference between their idea of how the thing should be and how they just plain are. Venus retrograding in Capricorn is likely to manifest in any number of momentary (or even protracted) struggles with ‘being satisfied’ along with frustrated ‘not liking this’ moments when said Pluto in Sag person isn’t satisfied.

The good news here is that these next few weeks of Mercury in Capricorn is going to have Millennials focused on their own business, which will be quieter, if not any less of a concern. Over the next few months this generation is going to for whatever reason and by whatever means begin ‘hearing’ some wider and broader concerns. How Millennials react to such information mirrors how well internally balanced they are when it comes to internalized security (the structured Self) versus a capacity to rely on those around them.

You may have noticed that I skipped Gen X, the lovely, airy, Pluto in Libra group. That’s because the next eight months of Mars in Libra is going to be a trial if a blessing to Gen X in which this Mercury in Capricorn transit brings a perspective on others which causes the native to reassess who they are (differentiation from the other) while (hopefully) processing the ‘why’ of the basic “attraction” whether the term ‘attraction’ is meant in the human/personal sense or the metaphysical like attracts like (and) what you put out comes back to you sense.

For the whole of this passage Mercury will be in what’s known as a ‘whole sign square’ to Mars with this particular square linking Mercury in earth (the facts) with Mars/Libra as the “desired/desirable aim” inclusive of any blessings or problems you have gone on at the moment.

This square – like any square – is asking us to bring these two factors not into “oppositional” balance, but dynamic balance. Mars is in an interactive sign (Libra) so the idea and/or means is ‘the idea’ of the thing involved and thus how it is expressed.

Or not expressed, of course. Just as in Gemini to not make a choice is to choose not to choose, in Libra not dealing with the other person or the issue is a valid relationship action. So whether we now choose to do or not do something – or anything – in, to, about or through the process of interacting with others (specific or generic others both qualifiy) that is what you are doing.  And just as dealing with our responsibilities and taking ownership of what we do and why we do it – or at least being darn certain that we know why we’re doing something in our own terms before we ‘go public’ whether in word or deed, so Mercury in Capricorn puts us into a mode and mood where we become highly aware of life in the Big World and indeed our life in the Big World as a matter of our ability and willingness to structure our lives not as an image, but as a reality.

A copper engraving of Mercury dating from 1597

Where we lack and where we are lacking – most of all as people – Mercury in Capricorn defines influences which will give us reasons to strive or deliver grief (of some kind) because we’ve so cut back on the reality of what we stand for in our own daily lives.

This Mercury/Mars square tightens to exact through the New Years Eve/New Years Day when in squaring Mars from 11 Capricorn, Mercury is also conjunct Pluto.

This is a potent and powerful moment. Pluto and Mercury will be at 11 Capricorn and the Sun at 10 Capricorn as the Moon enters Capricorn on New Year’s Eve at 6:02 in the evening UT/+0 time.

(Someone wrote to ask me what ‘UT’ is. For information’s sake it’s ‘Universal Time,’ a “+0” time zone designation outside of any jurisdiction and therefore not subject to any tinkering.)

All of this means yes, there will be a New Moon on New Years – it will be at 10 Capricorn with Klotho (beginnings, initiations), Kallisto (persevering through the worst of it and charismatic fixed star Vega.

That doesn’t sound like fun, does it? And then we add in Mercury-Pluto, which has a (rather notorious, actually) reputation for obsessive thoughts/thinking and persuasive or manipulative communications. Mind you, this could mean you’re Sherlock Holmes or a fabulous orator or something. And since 10 and 11 Capricorn both tend to refer to the ability to get things done, this Mars/Mercury square could be just that – getting something which requires a lot from you into gear. Or to fruition – something. With Venus retrograde, any ‘something’ is going to not feel right and you should not expect it to. At the moment the expectation of what you thought ‘would happen’ is taking away from the Mercury/Capricorn energy you could be using to understand what has happened or what you could make happen.

And that is just the thing. If you think things through you may well realize that while what’s on the table may not be your idea(l), it may well be…indeed you may know it is a path to the thing you want.

This brings us back to that Venusian issue of values and that conflict between the idea of the thing and what it is.

You know…Mars in Libra, Mercury in Capricorn.

Good luck!
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Dateblog: September 2013

Mars is in Leo for the whole of September. And the Sun is in Virgo for most of September. What is that about?

Call it growing pains, call it finding your way to or through your challenges – Mars in Leo provides the urge and that all-important ‘you can do it!’ feeling while the Sun wants it done right.

Woe be to those who ignore their better angels this month, perhaps?

Yes, perhaps.

For the first ten days of the month, Venus in Libra is the grace which laughs off angst and frustration. Then the (emotional) stakes get higher as Venus moves into Scorpio. But are those stakes real? Or are they just about our having ‘staked out’ some emotional territory? Have we drawn a line with our Self which we don’t want to moderate or negotiate about stepping over?

Uh…well…maybe.

Of course there are those who will come jolly-trotting into September with all their p’s and q’s nice polished and ready, set to go. They’ll probably undertake something around the time of the New Moon, using its ‘Virgo flavor’ to propel something long and carefully planned into motion.

Get the difference here? This is Virgo-Land, folks! Forget that ‘slow and steady wins the race’ concept…in Virgo, efficiency, effectiveness and proper standards ultimately win the day – and that’s Mercury in Libra/Venus in Scorpio notwithstanding! 

This sort of Venus/Mercury combination can be a sign of persuasion and sweet talking. Even manipulation. On the other hand, it can also represent a time when real and honest facts get laid on the table, presenting us with choices likely to affect us long-term. There’s a very clear way to know which is which here: facts don’t need anything except simple explanations and sweet talking always comes with a bunch of verbal curlicues.

Remember…the Sun is still in Virgo as all this starts. That’s a call for a clarity of purpose with a caution not to get too married to any particular detail. There’s an old joke about how hard it is to remember that your prime directive was to drain the swamp when you’re up to your keester in alligators, but that’s just about the point – especially since Saturn conjuncting the North Node spells out choices and imperatives which need to be met and dealt with. 

Knowing that once you make your choices or choose your direction (and here you thought I was going to say ‘pick your poison…’?) that leads into Pluto’s station at 8 Capricorn – to be followed promptly by Saturn sextiling Pluto. 

Remember when months ago I told you that 2013 was going to be a year of Saturn/Pluto? That was evident in the first quarter, what with Saturn going retrograde at 11 Scorpio (Scorpio being Pluto’s home sign) and Pluto going retrograde at 11 Capricorn (Saturn’s home sign) come April.

And not to put too fine a point on all this, we’re headed towards a November Solar Eclipse which is going to eclipse the very degree (11 Scorpio) that Saturn went retrograde in.

Astrologically this is very much the ‘dotted line’ or a giant celestial lasso roping these factors into one. So, since Saturn is responsibility, career, worldly status and achievement on the ‘up’ side and limitations, loss and penalties of various types on the ‘down’ side…when we think of that in tandem with Pluto as a primal ‘validation: you win!’ against ‘invalidation: you have work to do!’ celestial indicator, those who have done the Saturn thing by earning their rewards will see a ‘turn of fate’ as Pluto goes direct and Saturn sextiles Pluto. And actually…so will those who have goofed off, tried to get away with things, or otherwise not lived up to their own potential. It’s just that their ‘just rewards’ will be taking at least one giant step back. (And if they’re not lucky, there may be a cliff waiting to engulf them…metaphysically, that is.)

That the end of the Month has the Sun moving into Libra as Mercury unites (by sign) with Venus in Scorpio suggests matters which test our stamina and values regarding ourselves and others are now coming to the fore. And that seems likely, seeing as September – starting back at the New Moon in Virgo – is the onset of all that which will test our ability to get where we want to go as symbolized by the upcoming early November Solar Eclipse.

With that eclipse being in Scorpio, our ability to get along with others and to choose those worth getting along with is coming up for examination, if not full-on questioning. Mercury and Venus being in Scorpio represent the mentality, the mindset, the willingness to marshal ourselves in whatever kind of give-and-take’s the world asks of us and in the recognizing where we may have gotten off-track not with who we want to be seen as, but who we really are. We are being given Venus-and-Mercury ‘notices’ along with Venus-and-Mercury ‘time enough to think things over’ before push comes to shove. 

And remember – it’s not the shoving that anyone else does to us which matters most in the end. It’s the emotions which rise in response which are the tip off to our vulnerabilities. That’s what Scorpio is all about…testing our vulnerabilities so that we can identify and come to grips with our inner glitches and ghouls.

If the Solar Eclipse is a feast, this month is setting the table and putting out the chips. No one is ever going to grade us any harder than we do, so no crinkling, no wrinkling – it’s time to iron out our own problems with ourselves!
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