A Last Word from the Cancer Ingress 2010

  

 The 2010 Cancer Ingress chart (not place specific)

 

Depending on where you are, tomorrow the Sun moves into Libra either during the afternoon or evening.

But today we get a last commentary from the Cancer Ingress as the Sun (at 28 Virgo) conjuncts the ingress Saturn while opposing Jupiter and Uranus at 28 Pisces. 

For those who remember the Cancer ingress chart (which will remain be posted in the blog sidebar until tomorrow) the season started with Uranus and Jupiter in Aries. That was the call to know ourselves better and to do something new and different with our lives.

And with Saturn in opposition at that time from Virgo (it's now in Libra) we had to deal with limits and responsibilities. At times this opposition may have manifested as guidelines and safety nets, keeping us from harm. At other times they may well have felt like shackles we couldn't shake off. 

Limits and responsibilities, responsibilities and limits...they have bugged us and prodded us and given the native discomfort which is part of any Aries/Virgo combination we have known we had to change.

Change what? Change something about ourselves and how we have been approaching things. How we've been doing things. How we've seen ourselves and (in all likelihood) where and how we tend to go overboard now and again. (Okay...so let's hope it was only now and again!)

With the ingress Sun squaring this uncomfortable opposition, we've all had a season of challenging times. The ingress Sun (separately) opposition to Pluto and Ceres guaranteed emotional upheavals and as much being called on for support as being supported by others. And at times it just didn't any of it seem all that fair!

Considering the comments, emails and conversations I've gotten into (which I'll guess are pretty much typical of everyone's)...the summer has delivered on its promise to test our ability to be ourselves and scramble our personal eggs pretty well. We've all been caught once or twice coloring outside the responsibility lines and overstepping our personal boundaries.

So today, the transiting Sun conjuncts the Cancer ingress Saturn on its way to finishing up seasonal business. On the surface, that would tend to say it's a  day about practicalities.

But it's not that simple. There's a lot of unsettled stuff out there. Primal forces (Typhon) are in play. There are questions (Kalypso) circulating about what love really is. A lot of head-scratching is going into trying to figure out what needs to be gotten rid of (Atropos) in pretty short order now. There's even some (Lust-ful) fixations and over-focusing still drawing our attention towards things we know we shouldn't be focusing on.

Yes, about now we realize how we well may have contributed to shooting ourselves in the foot this year. (Like, ouch.)

But there is one rather nifty notice in the midst of all. Even better, this one will carry over into the Libra ingress. In the Cancer ingress we had Sun conjunct fixed star Betelgeuse and opposition Charybdis in Capricorn: hard times in our face at every step when we just wanted a little slack.

Now we have Charybdis still opposition Betelgeuse, but Charybdis is in Sagittarius, accounting for some of the feeling that while things may be tough, we can work through them. And while seldom will you hear any astrologer assert that a t-square is a good thing, they do promise huge potential. Found in charts of truly great and accomplished people, the t-square is a challenge, yes. But it's one which says that if you can get 'over the hurdle' in your path, you can triumph.

And the hurdle here? Today it's the Virgo Sun: accepting responsibility for ourselves and being willing to put in the time and effort to get things done.

As of tomorrow, the Sun moves into Libra. But the idea of the t-square remains. Whether the Sun is in Virgo or Libra the promise is that if we will work on who we are in life instead of what we want to get from life and not fall back on wanting to take some easy way out (Betelgeuse) that we will, we can eventually beat down those ugly demons (Charybdis) which have for the whole of this past season reared their ugly heads, trying to swamp our aims.

So...Will you accept yourself, your lot and move on?

Today is a moment, tomorrow is an ingress. Maybe learning to take one useful step forward as the purpose of each day is the best thing we can learn?

Cancer Ingress Update

The Cancer ingress - the year's longest day - occurred back in June. The chart is posted in the sidebar, but since I wouldn't want eyes to stray (no, not even for a moment!) here 'tis yet again...!

So what's up? Why bring this up now?

The 'what's up' is that July 31st is when, by implied progression (that would be astrological-ese, yes...) the Sun chart conjuncts the Venus of this chart, activating  Venusian properties.

And that's not all bad! Venus is Leo can be a very happy thing. It can symbolize good times and much fun. And considering that since the ingress, Venus has moved on into Virgo (where it's not so much fun!) we might all need a break. Even a day's break...might be quite welcome.

You with me?

But let's be real: Venus in Leo can also be a sign of self indulgence. And since Leo is ruled by the Sun, with the Sun actually reaching this position there's a chance to be 'struck blind' over the weekend. Not literally, but figuratively...you may not see something. Or you might not be seen for who you are or what you have to offer.

Then again, you may just welcome this effect. Sometimes we just don't want to see reality - we want a day off....we want to fling caution to the wind and go play. 

Whatever happens, the big 'down' side (if there is one) to remain aware of is about two things: keeping things in proportion (that applies to you and everyone around you, too) and the possibility that you may be arrogant. Good cheer is a positive, ignoring necessity or responsibility because you want your cheery time...? Not so good!

There's a temptation here to 'just round those jagged corners' - which may be the wanting to make everything sound or look nice (even when it isn't) or good old fashioned escapism. And so long as you don't over-ride good sense, the fact you're dancing on a rainbow which won't last may not be a problem. Making do and playing along - all fine.

Just don't kid yourself with thinking you can rob Peter, pamper Paul and never pay the piper! That kind of excess is going to come back come the end of August... sort of like too thin ice which holds up just long enough for you to get in over your head before you get plummeted into the drink. Youch!

So if something comes up...or is already on the table...? Maybe its better to solve the issue now and own the human glitchiness of life than risk an ice bath later?

That's up to you. This season is totally full of opportunities. But it's also strewn with personal challenges. And we each decide how to deal with them as little cosmic bells go off. Like now.

There's a lot of talk going on about planetary pictures and alignments and such. And not to rat out on some less-than-lovely tactics employed not just by astrologers but by Madison Avenue and media/political machines...getting you scared is a pretty good way to get your attention, allegiance, time and (yes), money.

And that - frankly - is part of the test: how much we are sheep and to what degree we are each willing to own our individuality as part of our greater world? That underlies much of what's now in the works: a big t-square involving achievement-oriented Saturn (the 'what we want from life') being challenged by Plutonic changes in the world and our world. 

In essence, we so want what we want. But will we get it?

Astrologically, this isn't about whether life is stopping us. It's more about life challenging us to be who we should be. It's less about denial and more about maturity; less about loss than it is about your/our willingness to accept the 'whole package' that life (and our life) really is.

Planetary pictures don't spell doom; they're a natural part of life's vast and intricate cycles. Those who would tell you otherwise are merely trying to 'work' you. Challenges turn up when we become stagnant because growth, not relaxation, is the thing which life relies and is built on. And from.

So these planetary pictures? They're no more doomsday than having someone tell you it's a-quarter-to three. By this I mean that it it's a-quarter-to-three and you need to get going, you know that.

In that self same way, you don't need anyone to tell you to keep growing - you know it. You may not like it, but you know it! 

As for how growth patterns will set up now? That's another matter. Some doors will be sticky and some are  truly locked. And there are some you haven't tried...and whether you know it or not, these are like as not exactly the doors you should be trying now.

Why? Because the object is to move from what we want to do towards what we are capable of creating, becoming or achieving. 

What that is...that's totally up to you.  

And that being it for the day (she said reaching for the apple some kindly student left on her desk)...class is now excused! Here's a link to the Cancer Ingress blog, if you want a brush-up...

....and I hope you have a fabulous Venus sort of day!