Envisioning the New Moon against a field of distant stars...
Come August 10 at 3:08am (+0/UT) a New Moon will appear at 17 Leo.
Of course the 'trick' word in that sentence is 'appear,' since a New Moon is the Moon in its darkened phase. And why is it dark? It's dark because Earth (reality) has literally come between the Sun (light-will-life-intellect) and Moon (emotions-memories-valuing).
Thus are all reflecting and reflections eliminated. And since what we would be reflecting on or reflecting in the moment are life issues, thoughts and such...that rather clears our metaphysical slate.
Thus are all reflecting and reflections eliminated. And since what we would be reflecting on or reflecting in the moment are life issues, thoughts and such...that rather clears our metaphysical slate.
So, with said slate clear, what do we do? Answer: we do what humans do - we find something new to think about or something new to do.
Ergo, voila...! Now you know why the New Moon is associated with 'beginnings.'
As for this particular New Moon, it's at 17 Leo. Here's the chart:
Seventeen Leo is a (2nd decanate) emotional degree in a sign fervently well known for manifesting as inspiring impulses and ideas which enhance our world, which bring incredible new things into being, and which envisions all the wonder of possibilities.
On the other hand, Leo is equally well known for its intensely fixed nature (call that hesitant or stubborn, whichever you prefer), its inability to tolerate critique while being all about your errors and a general 'the sun is in my eyes' sort of blindness to the emotional positions of those near and far.
The mixture gives us very much the picture of the lion on the veldt: a fabulously strong creature which can be aloof, courageous, apparently endlessly self indulgent, which prefers to be provided for by others and yet which is the heart and soul of its pride.
Yes, that would be its own emotional pride and the pride which is the lion's family.
As for 17 Leo in particular, this is a degree known for manifesting as 'will incarnate.' Thus we get a heaping helping of Leo courage and strength with this New Moon as well as all the stubborn self centered-ness we feel entitled to but so dislike in others.
Put simply: those who use this lunar month well will aim towards amassing credibility as a demonstration of competence. They will use power responsibility and show others that they can be trusted to do exactly that. They will build of a platform of creative creations through performance which earns them respect and gives them a position to speak from.
And so much for the noble part. Since we're talking about real human beings here, let's also admit to ourselves that plenty of people are going to own this moment as the starting gun for a siege of acting out. Seventeen Leo is known as much for its battles as nobility, and only sometimes do the twain work as one.
According to lore, problems which arise now surface where/when people don't think they 'need' anything other than what they have. And while it may be true they may be living the life of rose petals and hog heaven, it may also be true that such people are living at the very roughest, crudest end of their potential. And that's the real issue: the compromise of Self is simply not a plus when living in the zodiacal Land of Leo.
If you're dealing with such a person, you need to inspire them to think otherwise. Commands and heavy handedness isn't going to work now. Will they be easy to convince? Heck no! But you have a lot better chance to get somewhere with suggestions rather than instructions and with offers of help rather than bland-faced advice.
To make this all a bit more interesting (as if it needed to be?) Nemesis is also in the mix here. You know Nemesis - that voice which says 'you'll be sorry if you do this' just when you're all geared up to do it? Nobody likes meeting up with Nemesis but we all feel righteous entitled to be Nemesis when we embody it.
Okay, so some of us get nervous when we play the Nemesis card, but we are righteously convinced we're doing the right thing all the same.
With all three symbols sitting in 17 Leo as the writing on the blank slate there's lots of energy likely to be taken in dramatic stances, efforts and statements. With Atlantis just ahead at 19 Leo, whatever is going on looms like some giant, huge decision which threatens a great loss of something cherished, clung to, longed after...something!
And who's going to want give something up just because they should? At the moment, not hardly anybody!
In square to this lunation point we also have Medusa and Industria in security/satisfaction loving Taurus... plus poetic Sappho in emotional risk-defining Scorpio. With Scorpio ahead of Leo, this is a general indication of the need to reach out towards or develop some universal (Sappho) answer, agreement or way of dealing with things.
But the Taurus side of the thing says 'I've already put so much (Industria) work into what I've been doing!' which against the Medusa 'gee, that's scary' quotient isn't likely to win applause and get people all happy on any level.
Yet it's worth bearing in mind that Medusa is often simply a fear of knowing ourselves. And since in the end we are who we are, does it really do us much good to deny the truth?
That whole idea of truth is very Medusa - as we know from where her head ended up: on the front of the shield of Wisdom (Pallas Athena). (link to article on Medusa.)
This may be no big thing. Then again, it could be something major (probably depending on how this New Moon aspects your personal chart). All we know for sure is that the fear of moving forward, changing the balance of things, cutting your losses (if there are any to be cut)... that fear may be what is turning you to stone, like the old story says.
Then again...standing straight across the zodiac from this New Moon we have a pretty daunting trio. First is Icarus at 14 Aquarius - call it social/societal risks which may find us insisting on some flight of fantasy which ends up dooming us to a great fall.
At 19 Aquarius we also have Damocles, the 'dangerous point' becoming apparent in a way we so hadn't anticipated. Fortunately, with Damocles sitting in 19 Aquarius, with the recognition of the danger comes enlightenment, proving the Chinese association of 'crisis and opportunity' in one and the very same word.
Here the issue is about your willingness to own the courage to deal with your choices in powerfully regenerative ways. This is all about you and how you act once you understand what's really on the table; if you handle the challenge well, healing brings great rewards. If you don't...
...for those who don't, they won't do so probably because of Nessus sitting at 18 Aquarius. By itself, Nessus is spite which leaves poison which harms others even after (Nessus') death. This is malice. This is selfishness of a highly unscrupulous nature which isn't helped by being positioned at 18 Aquarius, a degree all about perverted sexual passions and isolation in a perversion of seeded influences.
Given this challenging triad sit opposition the New Moon, each and every one of us is likely to project the 'bad stuff' on others. While of course they're in their own world thinking the same about us and/or someone else.
In the end, this all comes down to something of a game of cosmic chicken - who's going to be first to be honorable? And so we get it, let's remember that this isn't about someone else - the game of chicken is something we're playing against ourselves.
Moving from poultry to felines, if we just go back to the original image of 17 Leo, the (perhaps Damocledian) point is clearly made: are we willing to past our reluctance, our petulance, our resistance and be our better selves?
At its best, Leo is magnanimous, forgiving and sunny. At its worst, Leo is dismissive, rejecting and critical. And this is not just about how we are with other people - we need to be not all one thing and not all the other with ourselves. We are neither saints nor sinners - we are vulnerable. We make mistakes. We are humans - and it's pride (aka ego) which makes it hard to be our own better friends (not best - just better!) which in turn makes it impossible to be genuine with anyone else.
All of which brings us back to the lion as king and protector of his pride...
All too often we reflect this Leo quality emotionally, when the far better way to manifest it is physically - as in all the courage it takes to be a productive and courageous member of your 'family pride.'
And while you may think that's just about your local group, it's really not; the greatest of human beings throughout history are those who have reached out to others who need the help we as individuals know how to give.
That's there the real pride and the real winning through all the emotional (Scorpio) risks and the real (Aquarian) acceptance and thus lasting (Taurean) security and satisfaction really comes from...when your fellow human beings really love, cherish, respect and never forget you.
As for this particular New Moon, it's at 17 Leo. Here's the chart:
Chart of the August 2010
New Moon at 17 Leo
Seventeen Leo is a (2nd decanate) emotional degree in a sign fervently well known for manifesting as inspiring impulses and ideas which enhance our world, which bring incredible new things into being, and which envisions all the wonder of possibilities.
On the other hand, Leo is equally well known for its intensely fixed nature (call that hesitant or stubborn, whichever you prefer), its inability to tolerate critique while being all about your errors and a general 'the sun is in my eyes' sort of blindness to the emotional positions of those near and far.
The mixture gives us very much the picture of the lion on the veldt: a fabulously strong creature which can be aloof, courageous, apparently endlessly self indulgent, which prefers to be provided for by others and yet which is the heart and soul of its pride.
Yes, that would be its own emotional pride and the pride which is the lion's family.
As for 17 Leo in particular, this is a degree known for manifesting as 'will incarnate.' Thus we get a heaping helping of Leo courage and strength with this New Moon as well as all the stubborn self centered-ness we feel entitled to but so dislike in others.
Put simply: those who use this lunar month well will aim towards amassing credibility as a demonstration of competence. They will use power responsibility and show others that they can be trusted to do exactly that. They will build of a platform of creative creations through performance which earns them respect and gives them a position to speak from.
And so much for the noble part. Since we're talking about real human beings here, let's also admit to ourselves that plenty of people are going to own this moment as the starting gun for a siege of acting out. Seventeen Leo is known as much for its battles as nobility, and only sometimes do the twain work as one.
According to lore, problems which arise now surface where/when people don't think they 'need' anything other than what they have. And while it may be true they may be living the life of rose petals and hog heaven, it may also be true that such people are living at the very roughest, crudest end of their potential. And that's the real issue: the compromise of Self is simply not a plus when living in the zodiacal Land of Leo.
If you're dealing with such a person, you need to inspire them to think otherwise. Commands and heavy handedness isn't going to work now. Will they be easy to convince? Heck no! But you have a lot better chance to get somewhere with suggestions rather than instructions and with offers of help rather than bland-faced advice.
To make this all a bit more interesting (as if it needed to be?) Nemesis is also in the mix here. You know Nemesis - that voice which says 'you'll be sorry if you do this' just when you're all geared up to do it? Nobody likes meeting up with Nemesis but we all feel righteous entitled to be Nemesis when we embody it.
Okay, so some of us get nervous when we play the Nemesis card, but we are righteously convinced we're doing the right thing all the same.
With all three symbols sitting in 17 Leo as the writing on the blank slate there's lots of energy likely to be taken in dramatic stances, efforts and statements. With Atlantis just ahead at 19 Leo, whatever is going on looms like some giant, huge decision which threatens a great loss of something cherished, clung to, longed after...something!
And who's going to want give something up just because they should? At the moment, not hardly anybody!
In square to this lunation point we also have Medusa and Industria in security/satisfaction loving Taurus... plus poetic Sappho in emotional risk-defining Scorpio. With Scorpio ahead of Leo, this is a general indication of the need to reach out towards or develop some universal (Sappho) answer, agreement or way of dealing with things.
But the Taurus side of the thing says 'I've already put so much (Industria) work into what I've been doing!' which against the Medusa 'gee, that's scary' quotient isn't likely to win applause and get people all happy on any level.
A rendering of Medusa's head as the forward
face of Pallas Athena's (goddess of wisdom's) shield.
That whole idea of truth is very Medusa - as we know from where her head ended up: on the front of the shield of Wisdom (Pallas Athena). (link to article on Medusa.)
This may be no big thing. Then again, it could be something major (probably depending on how this New Moon aspects your personal chart). All we know for sure is that the fear of moving forward, changing the balance of things, cutting your losses (if there are any to be cut)... that fear may be what is turning you to stone, like the old story says.
Then again...standing straight across the zodiac from this New Moon we have a pretty daunting trio. First is Icarus at 14 Aquarius - call it social/societal risks which may find us insisting on some flight of fantasy which ends up dooming us to a great fall.
At 19 Aquarius we also have Damocles, the 'dangerous point' becoming apparent in a way we so hadn't anticipated. Fortunately, with Damocles sitting in 19 Aquarius, with the recognition of the danger comes enlightenment, proving the Chinese association of 'crisis and opportunity' in one and the very same word.
Here the issue is about your willingness to own the courage to deal with your choices in powerfully regenerative ways. This is all about you and how you act once you understand what's really on the table; if you handle the challenge well, healing brings great rewards. If you don't...
...for those who don't, they won't do so probably because of Nessus sitting at 18 Aquarius. By itself, Nessus is spite which leaves poison which harms others even after (Nessus') death. This is malice. This is selfishness of a highly unscrupulous nature which isn't helped by being positioned at 18 Aquarius, a degree all about perverted sexual passions and isolation in a perversion of seeded influences.
Given this challenging triad sit opposition the New Moon, each and every one of us is likely to project the 'bad stuff' on others. While of course they're in their own world thinking the same about us and/or someone else.
In the end, this all comes down to something of a game of cosmic chicken - who's going to be first to be honorable? And so we get it, let's remember that this isn't about someone else - the game of chicken is something we're playing against ourselves.
Moving from poultry to felines, if we just go back to the original image of 17 Leo, the (perhaps Damocledian) point is clearly made: are we willing to past our reluctance, our petulance, our resistance and be our better selves?
At its best, Leo is magnanimous, forgiving and sunny. At its worst, Leo is dismissive, rejecting and critical. And this is not just about how we are with other people - we need to be not all one thing and not all the other with ourselves. We are neither saints nor sinners - we are vulnerable. We make mistakes. We are humans - and it's pride (aka ego) which makes it hard to be our own better friends (not best - just better!) which in turn makes it impossible to be genuine with anyone else.
All of which brings us back to the lion as king and protector of his pride...
All too often we reflect this Leo quality emotionally, when the far better way to manifest it is physically - as in all the courage it takes to be a productive and courageous member of your 'family pride.'
And while you may think that's just about your local group, it's really not; the greatest of human beings throughout history are those who have reached out to others who need the help we as individuals know how to give.
That's there the real pride and the real winning through all the emotional (Scorpio) risks and the real (Aquarian) acceptance and thus lasting (Taurean) security and satisfaction really comes from...when your fellow human beings really love, cherish, respect and never forget you.
enjoy your posts. I notice that this new moon conjuncts (within a degree,
ReplyDeletebut barely) the chart ruler (venus) of the 9/11/01 event chart (8:46 am NYC). Considering Pluto's penchant for lifting the veil during these trans-
formative years, can we expect any revelations/truthout. Any comment?
I love how you have written this post, the careful balance of it, and the bringing of it full circle to a resolution at the end. Not to mention that it contains some very wise words about offering suggestions and help instead of instructions and advice (again, a finely balanced difference.) I'll see if I can take that to heart.....not always easy! (especially since I'm always right! lol)
ReplyDelete@Peggy...so glad to see you have your Leo qualities in check. Or is that hounds-tooth?
ReplyDelete@David - I actually almost wrote a piece on 9/11, not as a single event, but tracing the World Trade Center from groundbreaking forward.
More to your question though, the event chart for the 9/11 attack is as a whole not ruled by Venus - only the Libra Ascendant is. Looking at this chart purely as an event chart, many (if not most) astrologers would look to the top of the chart for information, considering the attack came from 'up there' in the sky.
Looking at this chart purely as its own entity, the July 11 solar eclipse hit the culminating MC/Pandora, which at least in part I would take to be the furor about a mosque being built several blocks away from the WTC site.
On that score, the issue seems to be about an 'education of thought' - which would seem to be very much akin to what New York's Mayor said, about the US being founded on freedom of religion and separation of church (religion) and state. In the long run the correct apprehension towards a few which is being incorrectly projected on literally millions of peace-loving followers of Islam is something the US has to grow past. There's already a Wednesday post scheduled (part of the Chart USA series) which will touch on this. If there's interest in a 9/11 article down the line, that could be written up too.
This 9/11 chart is 'in waiting' to be aspected, with the key being how intelligently intelligence gets used. Having done no specific work on researching this, I will say no more than that. Good question though...thanks!