Happy Parent's Day!

Here in the United States, July 25th is Parent's day - which strikes me as a good time to discuss the astrology of parenting versus parented. 

And let's just start with a little comment on how interesting it is that this day falls under Sun in Leo, not Sun in Cancer. 

Why interesting? Because Cancer is the sign of families and 'childhood' as a life period. Leo is the sign of 'things I do for my own pleasure' and creatvity - both of which seem to mesh quite happily with the idea of having kids. 

But then there's that Leo question of risk. Every sign has challenge and one of the big Leo challenges is that pesky question of risk. And no question - having kids is risky!

 You have no idea if your little bundle of joy is going to turn out to be a darling or a pain in the very (very!) low back. You don't know what life holds for you as the adult in charge: will you continue to be able to support them? Will something in your own personal life (say a divorce or whatnot) totally disrupt your child's life?

 When we look at the horoscope wheel and its twelve parts (each called a "house")...

...the 4th house is family and YOUR childhood, the 5th house is having kids. 

What does this tell us astrologically? Well, there's a given order of the zodiac. And when we have a horoscope where the 1st house is Aries (corresponding to Aries as the first sign of the zodiac) and all follows right around, that's known as a 'natural (horoscope) wheel.' This isn't to say this format is better - it just corresponds to natural zodiacal order. 

Granting that most people have something other than a natural wheel however, the 4th and 5th houses of any horoscope still carry an 'underlying flavor' or identity which is closely allied with the natural sign associated with said house. 

Given that Cancer rules the 4th house of family, memories, habits and your own childhood - and that Cancer is an innately emotion (water) sign, good or bad, treasured or despised, hardly any of us are neutral about family. 

As for the 5th house, as we said, it's natural ruler is Leo. Leo is a fire sign and fire signs are all about the ideal and everything we can possibly imagine - the good and the bad, the highest heights to which our kids may ascend (and how scrumptuously wonderful we think they are) to the dangers they may face, the angst we may endure as their parents and the dashing of our hopes kids can deliver in any of a thousand ways.

We may want grandkids - they may not want kids.

We may want them to be an opera singer and they want to be a gardener. The vision was ours - it was our idealized (fire sign) image.

The reality? That's so often something else entirely.  And reconciling ourselves to that reality is not exactly what we want (Leo) to do, especially when it comes to our kids.

You know...those Leo creations of ours. 

Ruled by the Moon, Cancer is a respository for memory - and the habits which are the psychological form thereof, too. Cancer is about culture and heritage, our homeland and how/where we live. Thought of symbolically as the surf zone and tidal surges which are driven by the Moon's phases, Cancer and all things 4th house are a pretty good description of our the daily doings of family life, the classic family squabble and yet how that same family pulls together like a well-trained army when approached by any external entity.

Cancer builds on the past and looks to the future, figuring out what it takes to get where you want to go. Leo meanwhile, is all about what we make in the present. Leo hones its skills. Leo practices its art - whatever the artwork of the moment may be. Leo lives for the moment and makes the most of it. Leo envisions, but the practicalities of that vision and what it takes to get there? That's not a Leo problem. What, you want greatness and brilliance and operative parameters too? 

If you're looking for doing, Cancer is the cardinal sign. Cardinal signs do. Leo being a fixed sign describes its 'fixation' in the moment; don't ask the child to move on, they're busy having fun! They haven't seen where the ladybug is going yet! They haven't finished their imaginary story! 

Ruled by the Moon, Cancer is feeling and nurturing. The Moon being a reflective body, Cancer should reflect on what it does, though let's be real - at times the high tide just sends parents barreling on their way like some giant storm surge. And there are also those moment of New Moon darkness when parents feel emotionally lost and without a guiding light.

Given all that, I guess it's not all that surprising that Parent's Day falls under Sun in Leo. The Sun(ny) side of parenting is all the fun we have playing with our little ones - the way having kids lets you relive your own carefree moments of childhood. So what if the Sun's in your eyes and you're not getting the whole picture? It's a holiday!

So I say enjoy it...that's what holidays are for!

Jupiter squares Pluto

At July 25th, 1:51am/GMT (as this blog goes up) Pluto and Jupiter are in perfected square.

Sounds lovely, right? Well, it can be. But as the old song goes, it ain't necessarily so. 

(The song is from 'Porgy and Bess,' in case you care.)

To begin with, that this happens within the two-day leeway auspice of Jupiter's station/retrograde tells us it's part of that process. So if you didn't read that blog post, you may want to start with yesterday, then read today. And yes, I'll wait right here while you're gone.

For those ready to charge on, several astrological things have changed in the day-and-a-half between these events, the first and most obvious being the position of the Moon. Given that the Moon's position (and thus its effects on all things earthly) delineates the angular perspective on life (otherwise known as our point-of-view on things), this is where we start.

So...the Moon is at 22 Capricorn. Moon in Capricorn is known for hard line decisions - some of which are made without taking all facts and factors into account.

At the time of the Jupiter station, the Moon was at 1 Capricorn. And now what with it being at 22 Capricorn, that offers us a lovely picture on how decanates work.

I keep saying 'decan' and 'decanates' and not everybody gets it. So let's have a moment of group grok: each sign is composed of 30 degrees. This thirty degrees gets divided into three ten-degree segments (zero to 9, 10 to 19 and 20 to 29), each of which is called a 'decan' or 'decanate' (from the Latin 'deca' for 'ten). So....

Any time you see anything astrological in the first decan it's about the physical or the doing of something.

All second decan positions are emotional - yes, even in air signs! There's a rumor which goes around about air signs not being emotional - have we never heard of a passionate thought, people?

All third decanate positions are about how things work once we 'put them out there.' This decan symbols all require that we let go and see what happens - we don't get the reward until we become willing to risk the critique.

So with this transiting square having a 22 Capricorn Moon signature we know the flow of this dynamic has to do with things public and worldly. This tells us that this moment may be all about you waiting to get a reaction. Or your having to let go of something (sending it out into the world beyond your control) in order to see if it 'works.' Or you may be hearing from the world - getting all that feedback on something you've said, done, or even failed to do (which is another form of 'putting it out there,' it's just the refusal to do instead of the doing!).

And the world in turn...it may be acting in haste. Then again, it may be saying or showing you how you acted in haste and/or with lack of forethought (etc.). Given how Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, that also reminds us that Saturn has just moved into/committed to a transit of Libra...and again, you may want to read the blog on that shift (posted this past Wednesday) in order to understand today in light of that a little more fully.

Basically though...since Saturn in Libra is about how we present ourselves, our positions, relationships and/or "products" to others and thus how we are received (otherwise known as cause/effect), this moment carries that entire note. Discussions, critiques, feedback, negotiations, debates - even meeting up with new situations, people, ideas and circumstances typify this kind of moment.

Will you be the presenter or the presented to? Like as not, a little of each. But whether you will prevail? That has to do with whether you have thought only of yourself or have taken the standards, needs, feelings and morays of others.

Another factor which has changed is the tenor of thought and communication: since Jupiter's station Mercury has moved from 23 Leo (need/aptitude for organizational versitility) to 26 Leo (reconcilliation of natural forces/instinct with greater contexts).

 
Why am I making these comparisons?

Well, one of the really effective ways to learn how transiting global astrology works is to do just this: by looking at subtle shifts and thinking back to even a recent moment, you see how events evolve in parallel with zodiacal and celestial themes.

And once you 'get it,' all of astrology becomes more useful.
 

So! Continuing on...at the time of Jupiter's station the Moon stood opposition Polyhymnia (happiness), asking us if we had done enough or gone too far. As Jupiter went retrograde, we internalized that moment and now are proceeding to reflect on it.

But the world? The world (time, the Moon) it just ticks along. So now we're experiencing some of the ripples in the pond, the rewards and consequences flowing out from that station. If things are good, you're basking in good feelings. If things are bad, you're dealing with turbulent social waters. 

Whatever is going, this is not the moment du jour: the Moon atop a black hole tells us this moment - good or bad is all about the experience of 'alternative emotional realities.' Given how the Moon is also conjunct Circe (rendering humans animalistic) and Scheherazade (powerful storytelling), insight is strong - and it may be about you understanding others...then again, it may be you seeing how others (or the world) see(s) you.

From Friday's station to today, black moon Lilith (the calculated/societal form of Lilith) has also moved from 2 to 3 Pisces. At the station, it manifested as uneven social situations which without sufficient goading wouldn't get where they needed to go. But now at 3 Pisces? Now there's some 'oomph' and social clarity. The subject is how well privilege or resources have been used, resulting in applause or some sort of judgment saying an opportunity has been squandered coming to the fore.

Putting these things together, we see a trend towards feedback from others. Are we expecting it? Good question, and one which like as not hinges on how well we have judged other people...a statement which takes us back to some of that 'How good are you at judging human nature?' stuff talked about in the blog on Saturn entering Libra.

If you have underestimated someone, they are likely to "emerge from a black hole" like some Alice in Wonderland rabbit being pulled out of your hat (or somewhere else, but we won't go into that!).

Plus with Venus still in emotional degrees of Virgo (where we tend to feel undervalued and/or put upon) no matter how wonderful you are, you cannot expect to have everything your way or feel totally appreciated. Maybe even understood. Ethics and integrity are very much at the fore now - and as a theme you can anticipate that they'll continue to ring through human harmonics for at least 36 to 48 hours.

Metaphysically, this is sort of a 'how many pockets has Peter Piper picked?' question about if/where you have taken care of yourself at the EXPENSE of others. We all do it, the question is whether you did it knowingly and/or to what extent you did it. About the best anyone can do here is own up to mistakes and/or bad behavior and move on, so if you've been particularly self-willed or naughty of late get out your recipe for humble pie and start baking!

But be warned: with this moment all about Jupiter squaring Pluto (you knew we'd eventually get to the big stuff, right?) you can't just mince, cream, bake and scoot - that simply won't work. You have to own the issue and make the changes which prove to others that you've really 'gotten it.' Nothing else will do.

A last note here on what this all may feel like...when we look at Greek myth and who these characters Pluto and Jupiter are we get that Jupiter is Zeus, King of Olympus and ruler of all. Pluto is Hades, ruler of the afterlife, 'buried treasures' (in soul and in earth) and all things transformational, be they the orgasm of sexual experience to the karma of death and resurrection to bankruptcy to changes of job, spouses and so on.

More to the point here, Zeus and Hades are brothers. So this isn't really about you and the world; this is your world - the fact that you really are part of this world (the whole world and nothing but the world) and that the world is thus part of you. This is thus all about learning about how to reclaim our integrity while reconciling  disparate forces in our world, in our social circles and in ourselves.

And this isn't just about people. This is a global transit. So it affects corporations, governments populations, you, me the door mouse in the barn, production of shoelaces wherever they get made, bumblebees in Brazil and everything else.

And that, in the end, says we are all going through changes right now. Not one of us is truly comfortable. We are all duly aware of big problems and big issues - in our lives and otherwise. Thus the question ultimately is whether we will take hold of all these challenges or avoid them or resist them. There aren't any immediate solutions here (issues of the moment play out in November of this year and February of next year) but this is a step in a process.

We can take that step, or we can not take that step or we can refuse to see the larger parameters and take a misstep. Whatever we choose to do or not do, where that takes us is up to us on an individual, interactive and yet ultimately collective basis.

And thus we determine our own individual and universal destiny. There is no 'it's too big a problem' here - there is only your willingness to grapple with reality.

Jupiter's Station

Planet Jupiter - source: NASA

On July 23 (at 12:04 GMT: adjust for local time) Jupiter goes retrograde.

The whole la-dee-dah of what this means and why it means it (the where-science-meets-metaphysics stuff) we'll leave for another time. Meanwhile, what's important to you is that from July 23rd until November 18th when Jupiter goes direct, your growth and learning process will be internal.

When a planet is in direct motion, we learn from and through external prompts and situations. When a planet is retrograde, we learn through experience of those planetary precepts within ourselves.

Given that Jupiter is about 'growth,' that means these months ahead are more about you learning about yourself IN the world than the world you are in. This can be fun, tedious, disappointing or exciting by turns. But whatever it is, through this process you become more aware and more focused on where you're taking your life, why that matters to you...and yes, maybe where you might need or want to make a few wee changes.

So here's the chart:

And because I've heard from a few of you who don't read astro-glyph, here's a little diagram which may make things easier:

The whole of this figure is a four-sided figure known as a 'Grand Cross' - meaning all four 'corners' are separated by ninety degrees (a 'square' or challenge). When you have four squares in a chart, there's a tendency to bounce from one 'corner to another' - the implication being that the months ahead may be full of 'but if I do this, then that would happen...and if I did that, this other thing couldn't get done' and the like.

But if you will notice, the "bottom" line is dotted. And the reason it is dotted is that there is no actual planet in that bottom group. (I've put true planets in yellow to make this easier). Though all which Is counts, planets represent major components "of vital mass" in our lives.

Since we thus have only three of the four 'corners' of the alleged square with planets involved, what we actually have is a t-square instead of a grand cross...though you may well have this lurking 'grand cross-ish' but...but...but... feeling as we move through the months ahead.

And just to make this a little more rigorous, that little cluster of symbols at the bottom of the chart are all about what we want. What we think would be easy (or easier) to do or on us. So expect a lot of those 'but's to be tinged with an internal red flag which says "I'm not going to enjoy that!'" printed in bold on it.

Is that true? Are you really doomed not to enjoy doing what you need to do? No! But as the cosmic wrench in the works here, that's going to be one of those bug-a-boos which arise now and again. Even frequently. Truth is...you may have a blast. If you take on the doing and the growing, you may discover things more fun and more rewarding than anything you can think of from where you're standing now.

It's just you have to let go of today's conceptions in order to get there. And that's the Jupiter 'grow' (or 'grow up') part of the equation. That big giant planet out there does throw its metaphysical weight around, and this time it's all about grasping the idea that we so don't know all that life holds. There are things out there which would delight us beyond what we know now...we just have to let go of our definitions of 'good' in order to get hold of 'even better!'

So...! With that now duly noted, what about this t-square thing? The 'rule' with t-squares is the "own" the issues described at the "t." So here we are starting with Saturn: structures, fear, limits self imposed or otherwise, responsibilities, time, dedication-willingness to dedicate your effort and time.

With Saturn at 0 Libra is Panacea - peace, feeling better, resolution of strife. Standing just behind Saturn are asteroids Lilith and Echo - which on one level represent that 'little voice' inside you may not want to hear...and which on another may well be a person (usually a woman) whose words you are echoing (or hear echoing through your mind) which you stand to lose by listening to.

This bring up another point about the 'grand cross-ish' thing. What that's likely to do is create a 'is it that person...or that person' quandary in your head. The instruction per symbol here concerns 'Lilith' as a person who tempts you (or who has tempted you) to betray some previous commitment, vow or promise.

Standing just ahead of Saturn is Black Hole M87 (a giant shift of reality), then a quasar (brilliance) and pulsar, both in Libra. The quasar shines a light on the challenge to show one's true worth through development of skills as yet not brought to true potential. Given the association with M87 and Saturn, this would seem to refer to an adaptation of a skill to a totally new (M87) concept or situation. The pulsar adds to this a great exploration of love in all its many facets - for self, for others, for one particular other, for mankind, for your own abilities...with the pulsar giving us the clue that the light will shift from one thing to another, illuminating one while plunging something else into the darkness of lack of focus or temporary unimportance.

Shades of the grand cross quality...oh, these months ahead are going to be testing! But remember...these tests are internal. This is not about your ability to exist, except with or within your own skin.

So that's where everything starts. Through accepting and moving through the dynamics presented by Saturn, M87 and the quasar/pulsar (either leaving Lilith/Echo behind or being pursued by it in the shadows of your mind)...then you get to the real challenge of the season - the 't' of the t-square.

The crux of this t-square is all about your ability to reckon with responsibility for your life, and the reality of feelings. This involves a search for a new form of personal identity which requires breaking down old concepts and rebuilding yourself from within. To the extent that you don't do that, you will end up being tossed back into the land of Saturn restraints and limitations - which being in Libra may affect your social outlets, your reputation or your ability to deal with your surroundings. What we don't accept here is like as not going to come back to us in projected form - at least, that's how it's going to feel.

Again...and this cannot be stressed too much: this is not about your actual ability to survive in external terms. It's not about the job or the partner or the roof over your head except to the extent that you can deal with same, given the turmoil or arguments or debates or refusal to grow or change or grow up or get real which are going on inside you.

Moon in Capricorn often indicating 'societal values,' if you don't change (or at least become willing to accept input, critique or moderation) others will own this energy for you and foist it upon you. With two black holes and a quasar involved here, you will feel like the world you thought you knew is suddenly something altogether different: you're suddenly the proverbial stranger in a strange land.

The goal here is a 'breakthrough' (Uranus) which involves being of service or having served your greater purpose (Hebe/Uranus in Aries). With Scheat standing behind Uranus/Hebe and the Jupiterian 'goal' position, there is some sort of 'disapproval' out there which dissipates, is resolved or is converted to a stunning asset providing you become willing to break through what in this moment are your own limitations - as represented here by the Saturn/Uranus-Jupiter opposition.

As pictured by the Aries Jupiter/Lust, everyone is going into this moment fixed (Lust) on something about their own life - that being the Aries part.

In the end however, Aries is not about what you want (the cheers from the crowd for having slayed the great dragon)...but the courage to be the person who because they know how to slay dragons is willing to go out there and save the kingdom. The parade and cheers are merely the icing - the reality and necessity is the protecting of life's integrity.

Your own life, that would be - and by implication, that of others as without other people, our world is empty and without most of its richest meaning.