Money Matters: Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

European Union Currency

Not too long ago, I was in an auto accident. It wasn't tragic or even all that serious in the sense that such things can be serious: my vehicle got crunched at both ends and I'm working through some whiplash.

And that isn't my astrological point, either. The astrology thought came to me as I was talking things through with my insurance company. The subject was rental cars and how I was going to be asked to give the rental agency a credit card against damages. Yes, even though I'm insured driving whatever I drive and in spite of the fact this current accident was 100% not my fault (I was sitting at a stop light when along came a car who failed to stop).

My reply to my insurance company: I don't have a credit card.

Her reply to me: We hear that a lot now. More and more, in fact.

That's what got me to thinking.

Thinking astrologically is sometimes a bit like painting a picture. My father having gone to art school, he taught me that most artists use big brushes to lay down 'washes' of color, the broad strokes and background against which all else takes place.

In my many years now of studying astrology, I have come to realize that all symbols far and near have something of this 'background' function. And when we think of money...how/when the world went all hog-wild with credit and credit cards, leading to the deep water struggle we are all swimming through now, that tends to suggest Pluto. The great upswing in credit usage came in the 1980 - when Pluto was transiting Scorpio, sign of 'other people's money,' investment and debt.

Japanese Yen coinage

'Credit' isn't known as a particularly Scorpio word probably because the word credit is about a 'plus', and in Scorpio the 'plus' is what's is 'borrowed' and thus owed. Scorpio is entirely interactive - there are always two parties in the mix. So 'to one's credit' as we think of it emotionally or as a resource of talent or ability, that wouldn't be Scorpionic, that would be Taurus/2nd house - the source(s) which we draw on in order to build a bigger, better whatever.

A long time ago, some well-known astrologer made the statement that until you incur sufficient debt that you could not pay it off with the totality of your life's work you're not actually in debt. I don't recall exactly who it was, though several names dance though my mind as I type this. In any case, the statement was made during the 80's and is endemically emblematic of those times, since we and our world were in the 1980's and 1990's plunging on as though growth would never end.

But of course, it did. Courtesy of Pluto in Sagittarius,  with the plus of a great boom in knowledge technological and otherwise we got the Sagittarian Plutonic trampling of limits and boundaries. Common 'rainy day' sense was tested with 'but what is actually possible?' In some cases this 'let's push a little more' was a very good thing. Without that, we wouldn't know or have many things of everyday modern life.

But when we go with Plutonic obsessions to great extremes, then we take a fall. And given Pluto as the 'outcome' ruler of Scorpio, the lesson there really is that we've taken a fall because we made a bad choice.

And don't we all get that by now - that a couple or three fiscal bad choices got made? On the Pluto level, today's angst, today's frustrations, today's ill feelings, they are the outcomes of choices. Being 'mental feelings' they are also the metaphysical 'voicing' of what we did...when? 

When Pluto was in Scorpio. That would have been 'one,' and Pluto in Sagittarius would have been 'two,' which makes Pluto in Capricorn 'three.'

Chinese Yuan currency

And that being so, we have a pretty good indicator about at least one facet of Pluto's passage through Capricorn. What it's about, I mean.

Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, our symbol of structural growth. Or structural limitation. Either way, Saturn can represent determination or fear. Even determination to overcome fear, defense against fear or some sort of  fearful circumstances - real or imagined.

Yes, that's right - even though earthy Capricorn manifests as the tangible and concrete, that doesn't mean the need or feeling which motivates Capricorn is tangible and concrete. And that's a separation which seems important in a world where everything about life seems to prey on feelings of competition, greed, fear, lust and whatever else to get us to do (or not do) most everything.

But we also should suspect that will only go so far. Why would we think that? Well, Pluto is currently moving through Capricorn's first, physical/action-oriented decanate. And the air is filled with 'what are we going to do about...(insert issue).'

As of 2013, Pluto will move into Capricorn's second and most emotional decanate. At that point, one supposes, the emphasis will shift from 'what are we going to do' to 'how are we going to feel when (insert issue) happens?' Or maybe 'how can we allow ourselves to feel (description) considering (insert issue)?'

Interestingly, as Pluto finally reaches Capricorn's third and worldly 'results' decanate (degrees 20 through 29) in 2018. And this is also Saturn moves into its first 'home sign' of Capricorn in December 2017, catching up with Pluto by conjunction in January 2020.

United States 'greenback' currency

This is also just after when the chart of the US Federal Reserve tends to suggest current monetary mire will have actually come to a point of resolution. Considering how interlocked the international monetary system is, we can easily thus deduce that as US finances begin to improve, so will the financial fortunes of most of the rest of the world. (link to article on the astrology of the US Federal Reserve)

In the end though, what this may well point to is a whole other issue. One which also centers in Pluto as the experience of emotional transformation. With Pluto as secondary 'outcome' ruler of Scorpio, it would seem that just as 'credit/giving ourselves credit' against debt/feeling indebted to others as an outgrowth of the Taurus/Scorpio 'my/other people's' resources (of which money is just one sort) is really the biggest issue we can grapple with.

After all, part of what has driven us - nations and people all - into the cycle of borrowing/debt/refinancing and all the rest which got us into this mess is how we have generally come to think of the word "worth" as being a monetary worth. You know, as in 'what am I worth?'

In truly obsessive, Plutonic, 'others' Scorpio style, with Pluto's passage through Scorpio the world seemed to lose its sense of self and focus hugely, even totally, on what others thought of us.

And that's always bad, since no one is going to think of us any better than we think of ourselves. Scorpio - the other, is the 'effect' in 'cause/effect ' with the cause being Taurus: self worth, satisfaction, respect for our own being and our abilities as people and to be people.

The good news is, we're still alive, and therefore able to reclaim our mortal worth - in every sense. And don't we deserve to give ourselves a little credit?

Mercury in Cancer

 Mercury transiting across the Sun - source: News/CNET

Mercury moved into Cancer today. 

So what, you say?

Well, granting that this may not be earth-shattering news, it does signal a change in attitudes. And tone. Which is valuable to you because it says a lot about what's going to come up for discussion...and what approach is most likely to work whether you're in a negotiation or just some garden variety conversation.

Being a water sign, Cancer is automatically emotional. This tells us that as of today, the emotional approach works better than it would have, say....yesterday.

Yes, things do change just that darn quick - not to mention universally.

So where yesterday's appeal to logic might have gotten you where you wanted to go, today (and for the next while), getting into how others feel...or appealing to them in feeling or heartfelt terms is more likely to get a point across. Or - as they say - win friends and influence people.

With that said however, how you feel about 'things Cancerian' may make you more or less receptive to emotionalism in general, emotional appeals, or discussing feelings - yours or anyone else's...which may make you a card carrying member of the Bah, Humbug! club.

Then again, it may just be something far less dastardly and distinguished (sounds like a law firm, doesn't it?) People with air sign Moons are notorious for not liking how it feels when anyone tugs on their heartstrings. They tend to feel 'played'...you know, like a harp. And when Mercury transits any water sign, talking to someone with a water sign Moon may tap into some sort of emotional geyser. 

Obviously we can't cover every contingency about every person you may meet up with here. Nor do I expect that you have the chart on everyone you know - heck, I don't even have that! And we're never going to know the data on people we run across  during the average roustabout day. That's just a given! 

But we can say a few conceptual things about Mercury in Cancer which may be rather useful. 

First of all, water signs vary. Cancer is associated with the surf zone - which may explain to you why it's associated with the Moon, seeing as it's the gravitational pull of the Moon which causes tides. From this we draw that the conversational or situational Mercury in Cancer is also going to have not just tidal rhythms, but waves.

How will this work? Well, rather like the surf itself. While Mercury remains in Cancer, every day is going to have surges and ebbs. But apart from that, there's a 'rising tide' to the entire transit of Mercury through Cancer - a transit which begins today (June 25th) and runs to July 9, when it moves into Leo sometime during the day depending on where you be at that time.  

From June 25 through June 29, the emphasis is on what you do, what you're going to do, or what you've done. This may be a testing, or testy time.

Between June 29 and July 4, Mercury will be in Cancer's most emotional decanate (degrees 10 thru 19) which added to the Sun being in Cancer signals an emotional high tide.  Expect feelings and the expressing of those feelings to be more frequent, more fervent, more exultant and more moody during this time.

From the 4th to the 9th, Mercury moves through Cancer third and last decan (degrees 20 thru 29). The third decan of any sign being where others see what we've been up to, now efforts play out  and you see where you stand...or what you yet need to rise to. 

There's another quirk to throw in here too, namely that the Sun and Mercury will be running in conjunction from June 25 through July 1st. And when the Sun and Mercury are positioned close together, the Mercurial thought process gets a bit...well, let's just say 'drowned out' - that works in a water sign, right? 

And if you don't get why this would be? Look at the photo heading this lovely blog piece. That little, itty, bitty dot is Mercury - the whole Mercury and nothing but the Mercury. The Sun is HUGE! It's hard to remember how large the Sun really is. But it is...gigantic, I mean. 

Anyway, during these periodic Sun/Mercury conjunctions, a bit of personal myopia tends to be going around. So during this time - overlapping from the 'doing' sector into the 'feeling' sector, try to think long term. It won't be easy, but try anyway.

To this we should add just a few more thoughts, the most basic of which comes from the idea that Mercury rules two signs: Gemini and Virgo.

Gemini is an air sign all about the 'idea' of the thing and our ability to think, choose and manage life as effectively or badly as we will.

Virgo is an earth sign all about practical, tangible things. With Virgo, the thing works or it doesn't. There's a practical and pragmatic way to get things done and a proverbial means to the end. That doesn't mean that we always do it that way, but Mercury's association with Virgo is all about the search for the effective method, even if we ignore it once we've identified it!

Put these ideas together and you get why Mercury represents curiosity and a need to understand. Thus in Cancer, Mercury sorts through the basics and finds out what works, and what doesn't work. Given its natural position at the bottom of the zodiac wheel, Cancer is about foundations, thus Mercury in Cancer focuses on really basic values, asking what they're 'worth' to you.

This is where the negotiating comes in. Maybe something is worth it to you...maybe it isn't. And since there are always two parts to any conversation (and since Mercury is associated with pluralities) this makes for a lot of questioning. And answering. And asking why someone wants to know.

Hey! What's it to you, bud?

Considering Cancer rules families, real estate, cultural and national heritage, populations (of any size - civic, familial, national, ethnic, etc.), the homeland, end of life issues, childhood, memory, traditions and in families, particularly the father - and that both the Moon and astrological water are metaphors for money (liquidity, one might say), these subjects are likely to be focal points for discussions.

And don't just take this as a finite list - do a little (Mercurial) conjugating!  What do I mean by that? Well, real estate + money = home financing and home loans (or the need for same). Family + end of life issues = wills, trusts, funerals and probate matters. Childhood + memory (or tradition) can equal simple nostalgia or taking a trip half way across the globe in order to explore your personal roots. 

A last few words. There are two big 'general' groups of us right now...those for whom life may be a little odd, but basically stable - and those whose lives have either been totally tumultuous or which have begun 'shifting' through influences beyond control since...(oh....say,) early May. The former group is not being affected by the July 11 solar eclipse at 19 Cancer - the later camp is being affected by said solar eclipse. 

If you're in the first group, Mercury in Cancer may have it's up and down moments (high and low tide with a few particularly large waves) but basically it's just one of those months.

If you're in the second group, Mercury in Cancer may feel like someone is pressurizing the life vessel you happen to be encased in. And while this isn't fatal, it sure is likely to be uncomfortable.

Whoever you are, expect a lot of emphasis on 'how it looks,' many an assumption being made before all the facts are in (much shooting off of mouths) and a lot of things becoming public knowledge which in calmer moments might have been contained or gone unnoticed.

To paraphrase Bette Davis, it's going to be a bit of a bumpy ride. But not necessarily a bad one!

Holey Eclipse, Batman! (by Alex Miller)

Probably best known for his work with galactics, my long-time friend Alex Miller has stopped by the blog today to give us all a few thoughts on Saturday's lunar eclipse.

Take it away, Alex !

Monster Black Hole - source: National Geographic

 Holy Eclipse, Batman!

  
...Black Hole-y, that is. The Lunar Eclipse of 26 June 2010 sets off a Galactic Grand Cross of Deep Space energies guaranteed to keep things hopping for the next six months.  With the Moon eclipsed at 4 Capricorn, opposed a 4 Cancer Sun, a primal polarity of Black Holes is activated; add in squares to the Pulsar at 3 Aries and a Quasar at 5 Libra, and we have the makings of a truly stand-out astrological phenomenon.

Black Holes, those virtual pinpoints in space whose gravitational pull is so intense that not even light can escape them, promote the volte face, the sudden, swift, unexpected and complete reversal of the status quo. Conditions change in the twinkling of an eye to ones wholly unrecognizable from what pertained before.  In essence, you have changed universes - you can’t go home again. They drain energy from whatever they touch, creating instability and uncertainty, but they also tap us into the limitless potential of the unknown, and make possible what was previously considered unthinkable, both good and bad.

Quasars are among the brightest and furthest objects in the universe; they shine a bright spotlight upon whatever they touch and promote notoriety, success, achievement and attaining of goals.  It’s just not possible to keep hidden what they illumine, it stands out in a crowd, like placing a beacon on a hilltop.

Pulsars, rapidly rotating stellar remnants that emit regular bursts of energy in the radio and X-ray frequencies, are informational in nature, often provoking media attention or newsworthy events.  They can provide “body knowledge,” a sense of “just knowing” a thing to be true which wells up into consciousness from a cellular level.

Put it all together, and you’ve got a formula for some cosmic fireworks.  Add Pluto with the Moon at 4 Capricorn, just shy of the 5 Cap Black Hole, and Mercury at 2 Cancer with the Sun, both within the grip of the Black Hole at 4 Cancer, and the picture gains some clarity.  Add Uranus at 0 Aries and Jupiter at 2 Aries, both conjunct the 3 Aries Pulsar and squared the eclipse, and there’s even more substance to the image.

The Moon with Pluto and the Galactic Grand Cross has a positive and a negative message to convey. On the plus side, Moon/Pulsar is incredibly intuitive, has its finger on the pulse of the possible, and with the Black Hole giving access to the potential realms in parallel universes and alternate dimensions, it’s within your grasp now to transform (Pluto) your reality, enacting a new one and grounding it here (Quasar), breaking free of the habitual conditioning of the past (Moon).  Go with your gut, and with Jupiter in the mix, think big, expansive thoughts; the Black Holes say that anything is possible, so you may as well dream big. Uranus urges us to envision a more enlightened future, using the technological marvels at our disposal to refocus our life energy (Sun) and establish plans and procedures (Mercury) to achieve success (Quasar).

But there’s a potential downside as well. Mercury opposed Pluto can seem hopeless, helpless, our thoughts (Mercury) too dark to allow of the possibility of freeing ourselves (Uranus) from the emotional morass (Moon/Pluto) we seem to be stuck in.  The Black Hole here can make it difficult to convey our message, even if we see the silver lining in the clouds that lower.  In thinking too much of ourselves (Sun) we can become stuck in old patterns (Moon) and outdated assumptions or life scripts (Jupiter), not allowing ourselves to shine (Quasar), hiding our light under a bushel.  It’s in focusing on others, and how we may be an aid or catalyst (Pluto) to their development, making connections and networking (Quasar), sharing ideas (Mercury), theorizing (Jupiter) about a more expansive, collectively beneficial future (Uranus), that we can truly transform our reality (Black Hole) and find the security and comfort (Moon) we crave.

Emotions are likely to be in particular flux at this time, with moods swinging rapidly and running the gamut from A to Z in the blink of an eye.  Pay special attention to dream images and impressions, as these can provide vital clues to future action or resolution of prior conflicts.  Thoughts, too, can be unstable, even chaotic, but Mercury with a Black Hole also grants a highly creative perspective, with heretofore unconsidered solutions to age-old problems presenting themselves.

Nationally, with the eclipsed Moon and Pluto opposed the US Venus/Jupiter combination at 3 and 5 Cancer, it’s time to face our propensity to over-spend, over-extend ourselves financially, and pass the fiscal buck.  It can’t go on forever, and Pluto’s recent focus on overhauling our monetary structures is about to be joined by some serious shocks to the system provided courtesy of Uranus in square to Venus/Jupiter next year, and the hard times and deprivation likely brought on by Saturn’s upcoming square late this summer. This Lunar Eclipse may be yet another warning shot over the bow of the US financial industry; expect further upsets and volatility in these markets over the next few months, with Black Hole instability guaranteeing some heart-stopping thrill rides like the infamous “Flash Crash” of May.

Probably the most potent fact about Black Holes is their unpredictability - but whatever they bring, you can be sure it will be record-breaking, sensational, and sweeping. If you have natal placements between about 0 and 8 degrees of Cardinal Signs, this eclipse is especially focused on you, but regardless, we all have to deal with the fallout. And with the Galactic Grand Cross activated, that could be considerable.