Saturn by Degrees

Technically a perfect example of a man-made eclipse, the Cassini spacecraft took position beyond Saturn so and photographed the ringed planet 'lit from behind' by the Sun.

(photo credit: NASA-JPL, Caltech)

Part of the symbolism derived from Saturn’s position as the planet farthest from Earth visible with our personal, unassisted eyes is the idea that Saturn both marks our ‘boundaries’ in life – those limits beyond which we cannot (or will never) reach along with the challenge to reach the fullest extent of our potential.

Bringing all that to Scorpio, Saturn in Scorpio thus becomes the sign that we’re in the middle of a (two-and-a-half-year-long) period when our ability to grow the fulfillment of that potential and the goals we have for our Self in life – when all that is intersecting and being confronted with the need to contend with whatever feelings, goals and needs everyone else has.

Known for a period when praise can be bullying and when what appears to some as bullying can act as structural support, Saturn in Scorpio can stand for a ‘cutting’ force which when used with skill “cuts through problems.” And yes, such solutions may seem sensible – even popular. But because Saturn in Scorpio also times out glitches in plans of sufficient size guaranteed to get our attention what we think we know we may well know, yes.

Then again, we could be completely wrong. During the whole of Saturn’s two-and-a-half year passage through Scorpio various forms of this knife-edge between polarized convictions will occur simply so that we’ll stop acting on instinctual desires to ‘win’ and ‘deter risk’ in order to build something which will not just provide a path into the future, but enough feeling of sufficiency and security to continue what in reality is an unsecured loan on eternity called life.

Still, let’s be real here…we humans don’t much like our plans going awry or getting stopped. Very few of us greet moments with glee. (And yes, if we did, that would be a whole other issue.)

However we want to think of it, Saturn in Scorpio often manifests in a sense of frustration over loss.

But is the loss real? It may feel final, but is it?

And is that an actual loss – or is there something better?

Until we get to the point where we cling to something as immutable bedrock because it’s our bedrock (our emotional ‘my way or the highway’ stance) Saturn in Scorpio tends to manifest as supportive. But once we do get to the point of clinging, whether it’s to some person, some idea, some method, means or condition (which in Scorpio is merely a back-handed attempt to control)…then Saturn in Scorpio represents the upset, the destabilization, the undermining of security real or imagined.

Remember: Scorpio is an emotional sign. The external stakes may be real enough. Then again, things positive and negative now may be what they are because of some internal emotional process – one which some might call an emotional blockage. Even denial.

Wherever we see such internal/external imbalances, stability ends.That’s something we’ve seen over these past few months in ‘spades’ (as they say). As a sign Scorpio tests and stands with great durability in many a situation which looks imbalanced, but which on the inside, isn’t.

That’s one of the premier Scorpio secrets. If a structure tangible, financial, situational, relational or of any other type is properly ‘calibrated’ or engineered…or to put it more in ‘people-ish’ terms wherever a matters gets fully discussed, negotiated and/or agreed upon without coercion, denial, manipulation or threat ensuring that both/all sides are able to own and operate from a conscious position of power, Saturn support and growth can be lastingly initiated.

Note please: Scorpio dynamics require that we respect both (or all) sides of any question – and this applies whether your debate is with someone else or with yourself. It also applies equally whether the question is something you’re on the positive or negative side by preference.

That Scorpio is also strongest during times of calm and clarified focus has been evidenced over the past few months as Saturn has been continuing its opposition to dwarf planet Sedna in Taurus, the signature of our desires. At some level we’ve all been being put through the personal wringer about who we are, what we believe is valuable, who doesn’t agree with us and how to have personal viability on a workable scale.

Solutions to problems have felt intractable. And yet, they must be solved. That solution – and the fact that we know there’s a problem (though the thing we’re staring at is probably not it) is a good and decent start of things. But it’s certainly not the end, the solution, the light at the end of our tunnel.

And that…that’s going to still take some time to come about. At the moment, all our evaluations are being put to the test and we’re bound to find a few things need tweaking (on the inside) through October, 2014 – at which point something integral will shift (reflecting the solar eclipse at 0 Scorpio on October 23, 2014).

But for now, we need to know what to do…which points to yet another possible function of the current Mars retrograde in Libra, a sign where our Mars energy may be down (have you been feeling tired or worn out lately?) and certainly we’re having a bit of a ‘think’ about who others are – and aren’t.

No, we don’t like all the answers. Plans and ideals are getting tumbled and jostled as we all cope with some sort of growing (Saturn opposition Sedna) realization that the way things ‘have been’ really doesn’t work any more.

But if we can’t do it ‘that way,’ how are we going to do whatever it is we do or be whoever it is we are being?

Wait…should we change?

These are the kinds of very basic…if complicated questions facing us now. And while they’re facing us…they’re also facing everyone we know, which is going to make for a bit of ‘being out of sync’ and/or some ‘dissipation’ of energy which could be all good or disappointing, to say the least.

Ahead of us (Huya/Saturn) is a task which needs doing in an interactive and public setting which involves harnessing that which we have learned through our hardest of hard lessons in the greater interest of all from which we make some sort of gain or gain ‘traction’ of some form.

But we’re not ready for that yet. In fact, for whatever reason peculiar to us we’re each ‘backing away’ from that ‘thing’…specifically some moment of decision or commitment which will trigger our taking on ‘the task.’ And that process – the working through of the ‘how,’ ‘in what order’ and the ‘sorting out of risks, responsibilities and rewards’ – is going to take us through May 20th, at least.

Not that things aren’t going to change between now and then, whatever we may think to the contrary.

And we may be doing that contrary thing, to be sure. In fact, to the degree that we are committed to being “stuck” or holding onto some position which doesn’t take the interests and needs of all parties into account… that’s pretty much a measure of how diligently we will be tested by life, events, situations and others as we move through the April 29th solar eclipse.

A Taurus solar eclipse, that is – the Taurus ‘energetic’ of which would be plenty for us to deal with even without the feeling of being made to ‘tread water’ or some sort of tedious-feeling sluggishness, a sluggishness which reflects our being ‘pushed through’ our own reluctance to see something truly valuable that we’re missing.

Imagine that…we’re missing out on something really valuable, all because we’re doing some sort of immature (Sedna) clinging to some pre-determined definition of ‘good’ which doesn’t allow for many of the beyond imagining possibilities life may hold if we will just let go of our Scorpio desire to control everything in sight.

Everything which is out of sight, too.

Working from the premise that it’s better to have more information than less throughout life in general, it occurred to me that you might find it useful to have a list of Saturn’s degree position not just through the April 29th date of the eclipse but, from now until the station where Saturn turns direct this coming July. For one, once its here at the blog you can always come back to think things over. But just as important is the idea that each of the ‘major indicators’ we are given in the ciphering of time into opportunity is understanding the ever-shifting, ever-evolving pattern.

Thinking through that tells us even more. For instance, last year (2013) Saturn went retrograde on February 18th and direct again on July 9th. This year (2014) Saturn went retrograde on March 2nd and will go direct again on July 20th, shifting the cycle forward in terms of our calendar year by about a half month. And next year, another shift will occur.

The implications here are useful when planning a year, especially when we mix in the ‘partner’ energy of Jupiterian experimentation and learning without which Saturnine efforts in time become defeated by sheer antiquity.

You know, the ‘that’s old hat,’ thing. Preserving the precious ideas while continuing to keep pace with our times would seem to be the Saturn-Jupiter balance and those who manage or master such cosmic dances do well.

Saturn's rings (photo credit: NASA, JPL)

And when we don’t?

The breaking, the limitations, the loss and the ‘weakness of standing’ which is as much a part of Saturn as the ability to endure come what may… whether we are being called to some challenge in the world or within our Self-world or being limited by factors we must master through being mastered by – knowing that we are now in a period where Saturn’s retrograde starts under Sun in Pisces and extends through Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini into Cancer describes a solar five-sign trine.

Trines equal ‘ongoing energy’ which can be good or bad depending on whether we’re content with what we’re doing (or being) or not. In that Saturn us the descriptor here we are told that there may be growth or ‘stoppage,’ ‘gain’ or ‘loss’ depending on what we have (Scorpio) invested thus far… and that the (Pisces) ‘origin’ of the day by day (Sun) life we’ve been leading – both within our consciousness and as a participant in our life-or-world – is at some level both the evidence and some lesson we could be empowered by if we understood how our degree of ability (or willingness) to cope not with others but with how they are reacting to however we are displaying our values (or) what those values are…how that ISN’T about ‘them’ (or ‘that’ which is in progress, or which has happened) but about our ability to (Scorpio) reconcile ourselves to some sort of (Saturn) reality.

How that becomes whatever it is which either promotes peace (general and/or personal) or forces us to keep fearing the worst, whether we are rewarded with opportunities and positive developments or rejections, rebuffs and threats…that may well be about ‘them’ and whether they’ve done their Saturn stuff, yes.

But it’s also – totally and separately – about prompting us to do our best so that in time we can move towards our goals regardless of whether someone else wants to stand there quacking or not.

(Yes, I said quacking.)

That trine also says that we are living through a period of years when the ‘largest emotional common denominator’ (Pisces) is being brought home to our most personal of emotional experiences – Cancer, sign of home, hearth, family, culture, national heritage…all that.

This is a pattern which moves fairly quickly (at least in astrological terms). Back in 2001 (using that just as an example) Saturn’s retrograde was starting at the very end of September (with Sun in Libra) and ending in early February with Sun in Aquarius.

Those are both public and worldly signs. They are about how we experience life rather than more or less about what life is. The second six signs of the zodiac (Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces) are always about life in general, which is why people born under these Sun signs learn from interaction more readily and more necessarily than those born under the Sun in the first six signs (Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo), meaning half of us naturally learn just through the process of being (and on our own) while the other half of our world’s population is naturally attuned to learning through processes which involve others and things going on in the environment.

INTO WHICH comes the cosmic clockwork we think of as Saturn, a ice cold gas giant upon which we can have no standing – literally. There is no ‘standing’ on Saturn: in the moment you reached its surface you would be under it.

That’s a perfect scientific image of the Saturn as the astrological cogwheel we call time. We cannot ‘stand’ on time.

Time is evidently not there to support us. Nor are we – evidently – supposed to stand in a defined ‘spot’ when it comes to time. Some of Saturn’s greatest losses come about from ‘living in the past’ instead of learning from it and applying just that  in a present day (Saturn) reality environment.

Saturn will not honor a present day life lived in ‘back then’ terms. Where we attempt to do that, Saturn inevitably emerges as some sort of loss, big or small. This dichotomy between that which is ‘of the past’ and our reality of the present is being brought out now as part and parcel of other things allowing us to develop the sort of emotional insight which will release us from internal enslavement to some ideal or fantasy we’ve perhaps thought we had to live or embody in reality.

Saturn – regretfully – is now tearing down many of our gossamer dreams in processes rife with disappointment. We will tend to think ‘what’s wrong’ is in or with reality when much of the onus is on us.

Somewhere in our past we took something which should have been a motivation and we’ve turned it into a goal. It’s time to let go of that as reality and live in the reality we have, releasing our Self from the impossibility of some mythic unattainable so that we can flourish in the (Saturn) time we have among those willing to see and receive us.  

Since 2001, year by year Saturn’s retrograde pattern has continued shifting. There’s a natural variation in how long each retrograde lasts which astronomically is about planetary orbits not being round – not to mention the fact that astrology is geo(Earth)centric – meaning any ‘egg-shape’ in Saturn’s orbit around the Sun are compounded by earthly eccentricities.

You know…like our life is littered with all those places where we get out of ‘sync’ with our responsibilities, whether to others, Self, world or even those parts most human which require structure?

To the degrees Saturn is going to be passing through over the next several months, in reading through the symbols (below) you’ll no doubt notice their impersonal or ‘transpersonal’ nature. That’s a third decan/decanate quality we always see in any degree (of any sign) between 20 and 29 and its an indicator that our work… our difficulties… our challenges and our greatest rewards come from taking on where our own (Taurus) orientation towards life and what we think is viable or valuable meets up with the orientation of others.

Into which comes the solar eclipse, the ‘unbidden’ and ‘awesome’ splendor of illumination which comes upon us, forcing us to see some greater inner light than we otherwise behold in our everyday life.

So for good or bad, for all the pluses and minuses we feel, suspect, cling to and are being pressured by, in the end these passages and thus this time all about our learning about who we are and where our individual strengths and weaknesses lie and whether that’s truly apropos for the person we have become – or are becoming in this moment.

Whatever our direction is, it’s as much about how others see us as how we are wanting to be seen – that’s the simplest side of Scorpio. Our (Scorpio) instinct will be to define, divide and apportion things, whether that’s our time, our interest, our efforts, our love, our willingness to risk, our money, our vulnerabilities or strengths…we will be tempted to structure everything for our own goal. 

And we may achieve that goal. Or we may not achieve that goal. But since Scorpio is an interactive sign, wherever we don’t at least consider the opinions, priorities and needs of others, we will be sowing the seeds of karma.

Our karma, that is. Saturn is the astrological symbol of earning. What is earned through time is delivered in time. As Saturn passes through Scorpio’s third decanate (a process which will continue until Saturn moves into Sagittarius on December 23, 2014) we all have an opportunity to work on whatever our misgivings are so as to be more whole and wholly who we are…a quality Saturn ultimately times our learning about, defining in that the being of a leader not necessarily in the world at large, but definitely in our own individual life.

Saturn's double auroras as photographed by the Hubble Space Telescope

(photo credit NASA JPL, Jan 2009)

* * * * note: all dates/degrees in UT/+0 time * * * *

Saturn at 22 Scorpio: March 22 – April 12

Sabian Symbol No. 233:

A RABBIT METAMORPHOSES INTO A NATURE SPIRIT

In keynoting this degree as ‘the raising of animal drives to a higher level,’ astrologer Marc Edmund Jones seems to be referring to the ever-present Scorpio reference to some sort of speed of action, reaction, advance or defeat - all of which, in being  focused on either mandates or prevents some sort of choice. The degree 22 Scorpio is known for it’s ability to ‘scatter,’ but whether that’s us or that which is ranged out there for us to deal with is individual and situational (read: individual to any given chart, be it a natal chart, product chart, national, corporate or relationship chart).

Where negative energies now ‘dissipate,’ that Saturn is in an emotional sign signals a moving through some situation which involves, invokes or causes us to witness (or connect with) whatever will get us to consider the scope and challenges of life in terms of anything from disappointments or losses to the need to regroup, recalculate, learn better and try, try again. In keeping with Scorpio and Saturn, the point here being is about the equal validity of experiences which may differ widely in perspective, though it is to be expected that some people will simply “shut the Saturn door” and attempt to wall some sort of reality out.

In other words, though the term selected for 22 Scorpio by astrologer Dane Rudhyar (‘TRANSUBSTANTIATION’) is apt, knowing whether we are serving as the inspiration for change or are being changed by someone or something which transforms us is entirely a demonstration of how far we’ve come along our path in the worldly sense as well as in the personal call to fulfill not some theoretical ‘destiny’ but the fullest utilization of our talents when it comes to being a human being.

Currently in retrograde, Saturn will return to 22 Scorpio after going direct in August, completing whatever ‘evolution’ is indicated here as we move through and past the period of October 15th-23rd.

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Saturn at 21 Scorpio: April 12 – April 27

Sabian Symbol No. 232:

HUNTERS SHOOTING WILD DUCKS

For those who recognize this symbol without quite placing the degree, 21 Scorpio is the degree of the November 2012 solar eclipse…which astrologically makes the qualities and themes associated with this degree (as they reflect in our individual life) are things we are working on, and which we will yet work through for another year and a half or so.

In case you’re new to astroPPM, here are the links to the two-part post on the 2012 Scorpio eclipse:

- link to -

Solar Eclipse (Part 1): Fate Beckons

- link to -

Solar Eclipse (Part 2): Scorpio’s Eclipsing Provocations

Marc Edmund Jones typifies this degree as ‘the socially accepted release of an individual’s… or a group’s aggressive instincts’ which is very much in keeping with Scorpio as an interactive sign which ultimately teaches that while we may win or lose through interacting, to not interact is to guarantee loss through decline. Wherever we experience our ‘Scorpio’ quotient(s) we either fear risk, abandon ourselves to risk or tend to gauge carefully before making a choice – and sometimes it’s all that gauging and estimating (read: inertia) which defeats or enables us.

Mistaking that for cleverness is a mistake, by the way. Scorpio dynamics ask that we be a participant, not the presumptive genesis of all things great and powerful, its premise being the greatest use of power is to rely on earning respect, thus negating the necessity to use whatever force power may give us. Signature of the metaphysical ‘walk softly and carry a big stick,’ Scorpio’s ‘stick’ is best used to defend necessity rather than ego…which is why the old expression ‘revenge is a dish best served cold’ is also so very Scorpio in its request that we think things through while resisting the simple servicing of the desire to make ourselves feel good, which is where ‘revenge’ and ‘vengeance’ fit into that long, long list of things which only work when the basis of interaction is mutual.

Note please…it doesn’t have to be lovable or even friendly. Scorpio shows up differences even as it shows up inequality so that we will be judged and judge ourselves by how we treat with such things. So it’s not so much what we do but how and why we do it which defines success or failure here. And with Saturn (emblem of earning) setting this degree off this year (now and between October 5-15 when it returns to 21 Scorpio after going direct in July) we are beginning to understand many things which others may have known long before now.

How we react to that…the energy of whether we feel ‘shot at’ or ‘shot down’ or ‘hunted’ for whatever our reasons are…what we do with the understanding of what that means to us is important on its own and also as part of a present and far more complicated picture.

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Saturn at 20 Scorpio: April 27 – May 10

Sabian Symbol No. 231:

OBEYING HIS CONSCIENCE,
A SOLDIER RESISTS ORDERS

Dane Rudhyar’s  keyword for this degree – ‘INNER FREEDOM’ stresses the intrinsic Scorpio quality of self-relationship. In other words, the freedom is not that of the commander or whatever might (or might not) come out of some military action. This is the soldier’s freedom…and here the soldier is responding – as we do in Scorpio moments – to the idea of feelings he (or she) is feeling inside.

That the term ‘conscience’ is invoked here suggests that a broader concern or reference is being given priority as the soldier is not resisting out of spite or rebelliousness, but because there is some sort of higher cause or consideration at stake.

Marc Edmund Jones’ keynote for this degree - “A readiness to face the results of a refusal to follow the authoritarian patterns of an aggressive society” – may or may not be literal (referring to physical authorities or soldiers in a street) but are certainly references to those ‘patterns’ we have been raised with. The ‘echo effect’ alluded to early with regards to Saturn’s retrograde beginning under Sun in Pisces and ending under Sun in Cancer here alludes to our (Pisces) reactions – particularly those of an emotional, ethical or spiritual nature – to how we may or may not be ‘living out’ a message from the past or some idea which could limit our future.

Do we want to be doing what we’re doing? Are our priorities those we would respect in someone else as those which will earn respect and support in the short and long run?

After going direct, Saturn will return to 20 Scorpio as of September 25th and it will be at this degree through October 5th. Where life is requesting that we consider issues beyond our dedicated ‘norm,’ we do ourselves a favor by understanding what is being said. The person, the thing, the subject matter may be the point here. Then again, it may be totally insignificant when compared with what we will learn now about how we deal with our opportunities to grow. 

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Saturn at 19 Scorpio: May 10 – May 24

Sabian Symbol No. 230:

A WOMAN DRAWS AWAY TWO DARK CURTAINS CLOSING
THE ENTRANCE TO A SACRED PATHWAY

The reference here is an interesting one since it pictures a woman who in ‘drawing away’ curtains closes a path to something or somewhere else. In other words…we are being ‘arrested’ or stopped – at least long enough so that – as astrologer Marc Edmund Jones’ keynotes it – we can experience a ‘revelation to the human consciousness of what lies beyond dualistic knowledge.’ That the curtains are referred to as ‘dark’ may indicate an end to some sort of ‘guiding light’ we have been following, whether in our own mind or in real time and everyday life.

The symbol here being Saturn, this is also a process of time we are encountering. Does it call upon us to take something seriously? To act responsibly in that singularly Scorpio manner which rewards and disappoints (sometimes in the same breath) our ability to balance or harness our internal, wholly ‘us’ mentality (our natural ‘isolationist’ position) in the name of using that natural isolation for greater – not purely personal – benefit.

Dane Rudhyar keywords this degree as a “PLUNGE AHEAD INTO THE UNKNOWN.” Because this is Saturn we are talking about, the dates indicated here plus the days between September 13th and 25th may be when we can’t ‘plunge ahead’ for some intrinsically Saturn reason. Whatever end of the polarity we encounter here (the need to stop what we’re doing/being or the need to press forward to deal with some specific issue which has emotionally ‘stopped’ us)…in the end these days contribute to our own estimation of who we are and where we stand with our own feelings about life, thus coloring who we are going forward and how we will come to be regarded by others – an important factor as Saturn passes through a degree noted for its ‘taste’ for violence which arises from a distant tap-root of sadness, sorrow or pain.

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Saturn at 18 Scorpio: May 24 - June 8

Sabian Symbol No. 229:

A PARROT REPEATS THE CONVERSATION
HE HAS OVERHEARD

The keynoting of this degree as ‘the capacity to transmit transcendental knowledge’ (Marc Edmund Jones) and “CHANNELSHIP” (Dane Rudhyar) in light of the ‘mouthpiece’ here being a parrot would seem to refer to repeating what we have heard (or been taught or instructed to do) without substantial thought – which is neither good or bad on its own.

Against this however, are the notes of lore stating that this is also a degree which like 19 Scorpio is also known for conflicts, particularly those which have one side choosing to embody some form of ‘justice’ which may or may not be applicable.

Taken in combination, the (Saturn) reality of things from May 24th to June 8th and again during August 31st through September 13th becomes focal as we work to sort through what ‘parroting’ is simply talk and which has some actual long-term (Saturn) value.

Whether we are right or wrong, in other words, may well not be as important as knowing/learning the difference between that which is easy to sign onto (and ‘parrot,’ whether to others or in emulation of someone we respect/admire) and that which has long-term merit worth committing our Self to over time.

Whatever else is happening now, we are plainly involved in the process of establishing parameters for communication and thought – which makes the parrot indicated here greatly a reminder about how as humans, we have other options.

Saturn’s question being always about responsibility for Self and the use of our time, maybe we need to change something, finish something or consider some set of standards.

What the facts are involved? Do we need to change how we deal with others based on what they advocate or choose for themselves? Or maybe we merely need to change who we associate with on what basis because of whatever qualities are now becoming evident as a truth which has, or which will like as not prove true over time? 

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Saturn at 17 Scorpio: June 8 – June 29

Sabian Symbol No. 228:

A PATH THROUGH WOODS BRILLIANT
WITH MULTICOLORED SPLENDOR.

Where the term ‘Transubstantiation’ refers sometimes to a change in our immediate environment or ‘private life’ and even more often to a “miraculous” change in our experience of or insight into our life/Self, the Dane Rudhyar keyword given for 17 Scorpio (TRANSFIGURATION) is more akin to that which comes ‘through’ us or what we do, appear as, or innately are - as when we occupy a particular niche or function (personal or impersonal) in someone’s life.

Metaphysically, any wood ‘brilliant with multicolored splendor’ is a reference to an autumnal transformation and some sort of ‘fruitfulness’ which with a great flourish and beauty gives up its current growth effort in the cause of the recuperation and consolidation of gains made throughout a last growing season or harvest. In an emotional sign like Scorpio the reference to ‘multi-colored’ can refer to feelings, efforts, reactions, approaches, ideas…whatever action or theme has been synthesized into one ‘brilliant display,’ with each of our lives offering us the chance both to see such a thing or to be such a thing.

Thus the ‘path’ may be that we take in approaching something we think of/experience as so wonderful…or it may be the path we take in our own lives in order to achieve whatever for us would be this magical walk through such a wood.

Referred to by Marc Edmund Jones as a degree which manifests as ‘the exalted feeling of a work well done and a truly consummated life,’ the Saturn transit of this degree now (from June 8th - June 30th) and again in direct motion from August 10-31 ‘surrounds’ us with a ‘splendor’ we must work with, work within the confines of and deal with responsibly, whatever that may mean to you and yours.

Because this is a second decanate (emotionally charged) degree of a sign (Scorpio) which is deeply emotional by nature, the (Saturn) ‘work’ implied here may not be unpleasant at all – indeed, it may have some glorious moments. But yes, it could be truly dreadful and it’s still (Saturn) work and should be treated as such. The ‘path’ may be in our head or under our feet; wherever it is, its realities remain important and will take some time yet to play out, though effort must be invested (investment being a Scorpio byword) in order to ‘fund’ future growth and a stronger basis for repairs, restorations, rebuilding processes and all those areas of life where that which is outmoded/no longer functional can be properly attended to in a ‘step by step’ manner.

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Saturn at 16 Scorpio: June 29 – August 10th

Sabian Symbol No. 227:

A WOMAN, FECUNDATED BY HER OWN
SPIRIT, IS “GREAT WITH CHILD”

With Saturn taking its station to go direct at 16 Scorpio on July 20, there are two ways to think of this degree. One is to say that it’s about our own ability to renew and create a whole new life for ourselves through the power of our self-determination and the other refers to a more esoteric ability to be inspired by a fertile ‘creating self’ we experience ‘in spirit’ as humans.

Seeing that metaphysics is not gender-specific in application (any valid metaphysical concept should be able to be  universally applied) the gender reference to “her” isn’t physical. Instead it’s a reference one of three things:

1.) The principle of receptivity.

2.) Something which has been retained and which as part of a ‘bank’ built through experience influences things going forward.

3.) The question of whether something should be responded to.

Typified by Marc Edmund Jones as ‘a total reliance upon the dictates of the God-within,’ and by Dane Rudhyar as “THE TRANSPERSONAL WAY,” Saturn’s long residence in and station at 16 Scorpio is an underscored metaphysical notice that what we do will involve others and that it should involve others – the entire concept of which will tend to test more than a few of our naturally ‘what’s in it for me?’ sort of tendencies.

No, we’re not supposed to put our interests first. Scorpio says we can have what we want provided everyone else gets an equal measure of what they want…and no, WE don’t get to define what someone else wants.

We have to ask them…which brings up that whole ‘Scorpio as an interactive sign’ thing. What this amounts to is a situation where necessity or desire may well drive us…but what it’s driving us to is to interact with others “outside our normal circle”  (achieving the Scorpio aim) in the effort to get our way.

And if we meet up with something which affects that goal, that aim, that drive? That may be fine too. Sixteen Scorpio has a reputation for being one of Scorpio’s more ‘warm’ (as opposed to heated or icy) degrees and its humanitarian influence may surface in any area of life where one is called upon to act honorably in the face of some process gone awry.

This is a degree which may call for bravery. But what we’re talking about is not the sort of bravery which ‘saves the day,’ but rather the kind of courage which gives us the strength to face things no matter how ‘out of our comfort zone’ they are.

And why will we do it? We will do what we can in light of what comes to light now because we know that in doing such things we are embodying the  responsibility to carry our fair share of life’s burdens.

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Solar Eclipse (Part 2): Scorpio's Eclipsing Provocations

Ohverdamine (Sacrifice) by Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis (1909)

In yesterday’s blog, we discussed the idea of the November 2012 eclipse - specifically it's position at 21 Scorpio. 

Today’s thoughts are on what this eclipse may mean, depending on your chart.

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Kurklys (Scorpio) by Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis (1907)

16 to 26 SCORPIO: Without question, solar eclipse conjunction effects out-rank all other aspects. If you have a major placement in Scorpio (a planet, node or Ascendant, Descendant, Midheaven or natal Nadir/IC) being conjuncted by this eclipse it feels like something in your life is being taken away or changed or denied to you by forces you don't seem to control.

The first question to ask is why that is so important to you - and we aren’t talking the obvious here. This is about the emotional Scorpio quotient. Whatever the real-time or physical aspects of the issue may be, the eclipse is functioning at an emotional level, asking you to consider why you feel the way you feel.

So whether you feel invalidated, rejected, foolish, abandoned, perplexed or otherwise, the questions which need asking are about priorities and values.

Put simply, life is asking that you re-prioritize either how you feel...or what (or who) your feelings are aimed at, vested in or maybe even being hurt by.

This can be a trying, even seriously unpleasant...but still necessary passage. The object is an outlook which, in being sufficiently realistic, allows you to weather life's ups and downs.

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 Taurus by Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis (1907)

16 to 26 TAURUS: This is the opposition to the eclipse, so at some level you feel that life is opposing you or limiting you or telling you that you’re wrong.

Are you? Put most simply, the quandary here is likely to be the difference between ‘want’ and ‘should.’ And why you want what you want, where those two factors differ.

Since Scorpio represents the general societal and worldly way things are done, getting your Taurean preferences tinkered with (as described by whatever object is being aspected by the eclipse) feels awful. And the tighter the aspect (the closer to 21 that Taurus point is), the more personal this eclipse is going to feel.

Do you have to change who you are? Maybe yes, maybe no. What may need changing however, is how you go about getting where you want to go, and who you choose to invest in as part of your ‘plan.’

Adding in the Scorpio quotient, this period becomes very karmic - which is why it's the nature of your approach (more than the goal) which is key to personal reformulation and the redeveloping of personal momentum.

So as yourself why you do things the way you do them (or the way you've done them!). Is it because you were taught to do/be a certain way? Is it because you think that you'll like yourself better if you are seen a given way by others? Or if you accomplish some particular thing? Any part of life which is difficult now is asking you to understand why you feel hurt or vulnerable. What haven't you done? Or what have you done that you aren't proud of or happy with?

Oddly enough, this eclipse is really all about your becoming secure with yourself and within yourself. It may take some very odd turns in getting you there, but by the time you reach 2015 you'll have learned how in your life the genuine you is someone who combines the idea that quality isn't just about capability and the idea that because you 'can' doesn’t mean that in the long run you should want to!

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 Liutas (Leo) by Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis (1907)

16 to 26 LEO: The square ‘behind’ the eclipse point (in zodiac order terms) represents a challenge to self development and goals. So things you have wanted to 'go for' may now become inaccessible. Or not as important as you had thought they were.

This is all about life asking you to create a lasting future for yourself based on what you can do, not what you can achieve. And the hardest part of that may be not seeing how that works right now. Right now you're just dealing with some sort of ‘bad fit.’ Something which you haven’t (or didn’t) take into account at some point in the past is being riled up or revealed by current events.

Whatever planet, node or axis point is being aspected by this eclipse (and its placement by house in your natal chart) represents the area of life which is being...maybe underutilized? Or maybe you're just connected to the wrong outlet or wrong 'group.'

The 'why' of all this probably goes back to your early years. Some hope, some yearning, some wanting things to be 'right' was instilled then as is playing out now. You're likely to feel vulnerable. But are you?

Probably not, providing you choose your forward path based on realities instead of hopes or temporary measures. A shift of priorities and re-balancing of effort is probably called for. Depending on the symbol in your chart being aspected, you will probably have to let go of that which isn't working and make a new plan.

That plan will probably take a full three years to come to fruition. And considering we have several Taurus and  Scorpio eclipses still coming down the pike, don't be surprised if your plans change along the way.

And yet...that very learning to flex, that learning to live in the reality of Now will stand you in great stead. If you can get to where you think of this moment as the door to a different future, you'll be on the right track. But yes, it may be hard.

But you can do it. Have faith in yourself. Solar eclipses often take away something we like, but they never eliminate things we really need. In that difference lies the answer to all your questions, so go ahead and ask them - and be sure to listen to your answers!

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 Vandenis (Aquarius) by Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis (1907)

16 to 26 AQUARIUS: As the square ahead of the eclipse’s position, challenges are coming into your life from the Aquarian social/societal milieu. As such, you can’t ignore what people are doing. What they think. What you can do.

But then again, you can’t operate your life based on what people think of you (or your lifestyle) either.

Aquarius being a sign of two rulers (Saturn and Uranus) there's a challenge which is sort of about the difference between ‘fitting in’ and ‘standing out.’ In other words, you want to find your place, but you also want to excel through who you are and your many abilities.

Whatever help or lack of help you're getting from the group or society (that Sabian hunting party), it's important not to take their approval or lack of approval, their support or lack of support as the final word. You may have taken too many 'bad shots.' Or maybe they did.

In terms of the chart point being aspected, understanding how to develop and utilize those attributes in such a manner as to gain confidence in yourself and through that earn respect (in time) is the object of this eclipse. Just don't be surprised if you change 'groups' along the way. To have an Aquarian point aspected by this kind of an eclipse suggests big changes which may include a 'change of surroundings' or "scenery."

Or maybe you're just done hunting ducks? The Scorpio/karmic nature of this eclipse will move many of us from a 'trying to qualify’ into a ‘working quality’ mode. In other words, existing skills count. So identify it. Use it. Keep it honed and at the ready.

Lastly, ask yourself why you care about what you care about. Aquarius is a societal, all-encompassing, systemically universal sign. So while you may have, want or approve of boundaries, Aquarius doesn’t.  Lest you think money is the means here…it isn’t. Money is a form of metaphysical Aquarian ‘placeholder’ for the respect and regard others feel for what we do.

The combination of these factors is why you may be up against challenges. Life is asking you to let go of the definitions you have come into this time with so that you can grow into a bigger, more open and encompassing life. The emotions you feel when you grapple with this idea may not be gentle...but if you nurture yourself through the thought process and accept whatever degree of conflicts come along the way...in time you'll emerge with a different outlook on possibility and a willingness to be ever-more-mortal.

And that's the greater purpose.

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 Svarstykles (Libra) by Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis (1907)

19 to 23 Libra: anything which in your chart falls within this range of degrees is categorized as being in an ‘approaching’ (heading towards) semi-sextile (30 degree) aspect to the eclipse.

The idea of ‘approaching’ has various interpretations, but no matter which way you go with it, the idea is you’re trying to get to a goal. You’re trying to hit some mark or achieve some aim.

To this we add the semi-sextile. Since each sign has 30 degrees, the 30-degree semi-sextile is an aspect which, in connecting adjoining signs connects signs of different values and modes of operation.

Libra is an air sign. So your symbol (whatever it may be, planet, axis, node, etc.) is coming into this time operating on the basis of an (airy) idea or theory of how things should work. Or what your (Libra) relationship should be to others. Or what the reaction should be to your doing (or saying) such-and-such.

Libra and Scorpio have an interesting relationship. Though we think of Libra as the sign of relationships and the ‘ability to relate’ which as a ‘doctrine’ or ‘agreement’ is sealed when we form a partnership or enter into a marriage (both of which, being structural and binding are not Libra but Capricorn entities)…it’s the Scorpio portion of the relationship (platonic or intimate) which always, always, ALWAYS proves the most challenging – and the ultimate make-or-break, rise-or-fall arena.

And what’s getting tested here? The reality of emotional values (Scorpio) versus the idea of how others (the partner or others in general) react (LIbra) to what we do/don’t do, say or like in terms of reactions.

Did you read the above on Aquarius? Remembering that Aquarius is the earning and acceptance and reward air sign, Libra is the ‘will they even deal with me’ air sign. Think of them as cause (Libra) and ultimate (Aquarian) effect.

Meanwhile, humans being humans, we all tend to try to get the most while risking the least. Yes, it’s back to that Taurus/Scorpio polarity. The Scorpio part of this eclipse thus tests and unsettles what is a difficult Libra-Scorpio path to negotiate under any circumstance.

Any semi-sextile can feel like an ego-bruise. This one? With the input being from a 3rd decan (public) eclipse…the closer to exact (read: the closer to 21 Libra) the point in your natal chart is, the more this period is going to feel like life punching you in what is already a sore point.

But that’s how life is. Plainly you’re sore because something isn’t going your way. Question: why do you need it to go that way in particular?

Libra is always about our hopes and who we hope to achieve being in life. The catch with Libra (which every Gen Xer Pluto-in-Libra person should be aware of!) is that trying to be what others will react to doesn’t always quite square with being who we are.

And Life? Life may let you try out being popular, but if it’s not for who you really are, you’re bound to take a fall.

So who are you – really? What do you stand for – really? Why do you like what you want, and what does that really say about you…and how you may or may not be happy with your Self?

The Self is Aries. The polarity to Aries is Libra. Through this polarity, wherever it lies in your chart (along with the 1st and 7th houses) we work on becoming someone…whoever that may be.

Into which comes this solar eclipse, as the first of the Taurus/Scorpio eclipses which will embrace the next couple of years. If who you are being is not true to who you really are in your Taurean soul, things are going to be difficult until you find the mismatches and go with who you are on the inside. This may require throwing off masks and your having taken on the expectations (or demands) of others. But if so, so be it! We don’t grow from the outside in, we grow from the inside out!

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Sautys (Sagittarius) by Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis (1907)

19 to 23 Sagittarius: Sagittarius is the other semi-sextile to Scorpio. And basically, the same ego-bruising semi-sextile dynamics hold…except that the modes, means and time elements are different.

For one, while Scorpio is still Scorpio (read: testingly emotional), Sagittarius is not an airy sign of ideas and theories like Libra is. Sagittarius is a fire sign. Fire signs dream it up, get into the ‘how this could work’ then try to put their plans into action.

This fits with Sagittarius as the worldly side of the Gemini learn it, think about it, organize it, prioritize it, choose or discard it concept. What we develop through Gemini mentality we try out through the Sagittarian precept of trying to expand our world.

Into which comes this eclipse.

Scorpio being the sign behind Sagittarius (in zodiacal order terms) that means we are having trouble leaving something behind…or we are not well enough supported.

Is this a reality-based state? Or is this a purely emotional trial?

In part, the answer to that will depend on where Sagittarius falls in your chart and what particular object (planet, node, axis, etc.) is falling in this 19-to-23 Sagittarius district.

(It also depends on the condition of your natal Jupiter, as Jupiter rules Sagittarius AND is currently in the oppositional sign of Gemini. But hey…this is a blog – I can’t work full-on wonders here! If you need more information, hire an astrologer and get a consultation!)

But plainly, quandaries about where you are versus where you want to go are complicating matters. Sitting down and asking yourself what’s wrong, why you feel like it’s wrong and why that matters so much to you (i.e., exactly why it prompts the kind of emotional response in you it’s prompting) is the path to clarification.

And after clarification comes the dealing with the issue.

Oddly enough, this is the sort of eclipse relationship which may end up changing where you’re heading. You may not believe that now, but by the time you get through the next three years, things you could swear are all-important now may seem well nigh unto inconsequential.

Vesta sitting in an inconjunct to the eclipse’s position is part of this. Events which happen now may change your choices by altering your sense of what’s important and what’s worth spending your time and energy on.

At first that may seem terribly disappointing, inconvenient – even like an imposition. Yet underneath all that is a truism that if you alter your path because of some promise or commitment you have in life, that’s saying something positive about you – that you’re a person who lives up to the integrity of their beliefs.

Are you that person?

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 Avinas (Aries) by Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis (1907)

19 to 23 Aries: This eclipse effect is obviously related to the Libra version as Aries and Libra are eternally in mutual polarity. But where Libra emphasizes the ‘what you’re doing, saying, being’ to and with others (or the response you’re getting from others or the effect you’re having on others)…to have a planet, node or axis point (etc.) in this Aries inconjunct-to-the-eclipse zone is either to feel like your whole life is going in the wrong direction…or to encounter some sort of physical drawback or limitation to what you’re trying to do.

Warning: this can be the indication of a health problem. Certainly if you have any major natal chart placement in this district (planet, axis, nodal point) and especially if that part of your life (or your body) is ‘acting up’ now, you need to attend to what that means about the whole of how you’re living your life. It could be as simple as eliminating something from your diet. Then again, it could be something deep seated and medical…or psycho-emotional (which may be manifesting physically, perhaps?).

Whatever is going on, you need to have it checked out. And don’t be surprised if, as you do that, you get some polarized/polarizing reaction. It may be ‘that’s nothing’ when your every instinct says something’s wrong. Then again, it could be ‘this is serious!’ about something you think is perfectly trivial. Even absolutely satisfactory.

The question is how and where and why you’re out of sync, be that with yourself, with others, with your life, with your body, with your lifestyle, aims or emotional psyche (and everything emotions get us into, keep us out of, or connect us to, or disconnect us from).

This is a very trying sort of aspect as there’s a lot of ‘is it me?’ versus ‘is it them?’ sort of stuff bound to be in the mix.

You may well need to cut back on something at this point. If you’ve felt over-extended or seriously hassled during this past six-to-eight weeks, pay attention to that and sort through what’s really important to you…and why that’s important to you. If it’s about who you really are in the depths of your soul and carrying through on that in your life, you’re probably good to go after you carve off a bit of life fat, that is.

Life fat? What is life fat? It’s that extra stuff we all get involved in which don’t really have anything to do with us at all. Mind you, there are things we do for loved ones which aren’t ‘about us’ – and that’s fine. You’re doing that because as a person you are connected to someone and that relationship requires a give and take.

All fine.

But that which you do because you want to just impress folks? Or because ‘everyone’s doing it’? That gets back to that individuality thing, and when any point in Aries (the ‘I Am’ sign) is set off, hampered, inhibited or otherwise blocked from genuine expression, that doesn’t tend to go very well.

So take a life inventory in the department described by the symbol being ‘eclipsed by inconjunct.’ Ask yourself if you need to change and why.

Or why not.

Those value statements and how you feel about them is the Aries key to getting through this eclipse.

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 Gemini by Mikalojus Konstantina Ciurlionis (1907)

19 to 23 Gemini: From Gemini to Scorpio is a 6th harmonic inconjunct which speaks eloquently to how well your choices are working.

Or how well your choices aren’t working! That too!

In joining airy Gemini with Scorpio’s intense emotionalism, the native (some say naïve) Gemini tendency to think in first person doesn’t always go so well with the Scorpio requirement to consider everyone’s perspective. And now…in a moment when from Scorpio’s most uninhibited public sector comes the energy of a solar eclipse, that ‘my mind is an island’ concept proves unworkable.

Even unhealthy.

It’s a lesson all about learning how necessary it is to choose to think inclusively. How understanding the needs and values of others is not just a good idea, but a necessity since none of us live in a vacuum.

Not that this experience is likely to be a comfortable one. The closer to 21 Gemini your planet, node or axis (etc.) is, the closer you are to feeling the eclipse’s effects…specifically through the lens of fixed stars Bellatrix and Phact.

Together, these stars are about what we tend to call either personal conviction or personal choice – and the right to choose your own path through life, even if that involves choosing to make some mistake. There are those who suffer from ‘ahead of their time’ syndrome…and for such folks, a personal chart point in the Bellatrix/Phact district describes a difficulty with getting your point across which now – thanks to the eclipse – may well begin to change. IF you’ve been working at your goals, that is.

Bottom line, whether you’re someone who has been holding into some falsehood or someone living in a world not yet ready for your genius, this eclipse begins forcing your hand. Even those who have been working to make changes will feel an intensity of need…which because this is translating into Gemini air-sign terms will be discomfort and mental irritation. Maybe distraction.

The questions to ask here are what am I doing and why am I doing it? If your answer starts out with a personal(ized) aim, this Scorpio eclipse is all about teaching you how your aims need to take the values of others into account….and your difficulties are an example of how easy it is to shoot ourselves in the foot.
There is a Scorpio theory which says difficulties arising now reflect an unconscious acknowledgment of truth…so take that into account. What do you know is true about who you really are?

No one’s listening…be honest.

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Before this becomes the longest blog in blog history, there are two more items to consider.

The first concerns Saturn. Currently transiting Scorpio, Saturn’s presence in the sign of the eclipse emphasizes joint commitments, joint finances and emotional bonds of the intimate, platonic, business, pleasure, friendship or spiritual type. Saturn’s play here is of ‘raising the stakes’ so that we all know important steps are to be taken now.

Or not taken. Your choice.

There are risks to be taken no matter which way you go…so why not be true to who you really, truly are?
How many (Saturn) time do we have, after all? Were we to die tomorrow, what would we be most upset not to have done, not to have been, not to have fulfilled?

Last but certainly not least is the fact that with this eclipse comes a Yod: the astrological figure of fate.

 
Of the eleven objects noted in this diagram, two are the Sun and Moon. We’ve pretty much discussed those.

One (Tantalus) is an asteroid. Considering that asteroids represent attributes we learn about (and learn to manage) on our way to masterful understandings of how to live our life (Jupiter) and all the personal achievements which then flow from that (Saturn) what are temptations worth?

These temptations (Tantalus) are posed with exactitude as part of the eclipse. Considering that solar eclipses tend to expose that which we’ve done wrong (or counter to our claims) in life, this suggests that this eclipse is going to bring out a lot of bad acts on the part of a lot of people we haven’t known about.

With dwarf planet (and Plutino) Huya involved, there’s an emphasis on those who have undertaken to help others (in whatever capacity). Also, separately or as part of that help, those who have stooped (Tantalus) to self (Sun) negating (eclipse) acts in spite of knowing what damage they can wreak on (Scorpio) others or by negating (Scorpio) others…they’re in for a revelation.

All is not lost, but it will be forever changed.

Moving on, there are two dwarf planets in this diagram. One – Huya – we just outlined. The other being Eris (in retrograde) says that this is ‘emotional shake-up’ time.

Vesta may yet be reclassified as a dwarf planet. We won’t know until NASA’s spacecraft Dawn gets there in a couple of years.

 Vesta as photographed on September 11, 2012 by NASA's Dawn spacecraft

(photo credit: NASA-JPL, 2012)

What we know in the interim on a metaphysical basis is that Vesta is about the promises we make in life – to ourselves and to others – and all it takes to uphold those promises…or all we go through when we break those promises.

Considering how important such things are in human life, it won’t surprise this astrologer if Vesta is declared a dwarf planet.

The other five objects in this diagram are all fixed stars – part of life’s operational backdrop. Two – Phact and Bellatrix – are part of the Yod, indicating the degree of struggle we’re all having with ourselves, at whatever level.

The other three are not directly involved in the Yod, but they do aspect the eclipse with great acuity. Castor and Pollux – the Gemini Twins – are the forces which drive us to be assertive and (at least on a mental level) bullies. But if you know the story of these two, the human strength of Castor is brought down by simple mortal frailty. Castor falls ill, and there’s nothing which can save him.

But when that happens, Castor’s twin – Pollux –proves the eternal strength of thinking things through and the power of choosing to bond with that which is more knowing, more eternal than any of us: the limitless truth of knowledge – the metaphysical Jupiter.

Through knowledge, through intellectual recognition of what the choice is, Pollux makes a mortal sacrifice, but ends up saving his brother by allowing his everyday life to be cut short in favor of turning them both into stars in our sky.

Currently in Cancer, Castor and Pollux are jointly trine the solar eclipse, telling us that life is forcing us to make some choices. Many will no doubt opt for that which seems demanded of them, that which is wholly mortal and expected.

Others will make a harder choice, choosing instead to make sacrifices and, in following a longer, leaner road, provide themselves – ultimately – with eternal solutions and blessings.

This isn’t going to be easy, but it is possible – that much is shown by Ras Alhague at 22 Sagittarius, in a semi-sextile to the eclipse which suggests that through pain, through uproar, through admitting mistakes, defeats…though all that comes the possibility for healing. Some will do all their pining and paining by themselves. Some will actively argue with others…loved ones, strangers, friends, relatives – whoever that may be.

This isn’t an easy time. These indicators are yet another crack in the ideals and images so many people got during the late 1990’s and early 2000’s while Pluto was in Sagittarius. The inspiration of that dream was real.

It’s just that life is not a fantasy. How often we humans try to convert motivation into reality, never recognizing that what we have is fine in all its mortal imperfection…and how the fantasy is, and will forever be denied.

It’s not that we can’t have it. It’s that it’s not real.

So…will you deal with the reality of how you feel now, or not? Will you deal with how others feel about you and how appropriate they are or aren’t to your life?

That’s for you to decide. The eclipse will come and go. Life will go on.

Our only choice is whether we want to buck the trends and truths or learn from them.

 Pasaulio Sutverimas II (Creation of the World II) by Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis (1906-1907)

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