Election 2012: Debate #3 – Foreign Policy

 Billed as a foreign policy debate, this is the chart for Presidential Debate #3 which is scheduled to take place on October 22, 2012 at 9 p.m. (EDT) at Florida's Lynn University

The third (and last) 2012 Presidential Debate is scheduled for Monday, October 22nd at 9 p.m. (EDT) at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida.

And the chart? It’s above. And its 9th house Moon in Aquarius is slap-dab on the money.

Foreign money? Maybe. The 9th house is, after all the house of all things ‘foreign.’ And Aquarius is the sign of economics and income.

But in a national chart (or discussion), Aquarius is more the sign of social systems which in the 9th suggests things like foreign students and foreign workers. International trade. Students getting jobs when they graduate with higher degrees. The cost of education and whether a nation should-or-shouldn’t support those educational institutions, particularly as that concerns foreign-born or immigrant students.

Given that Aquarius is also the sign of ‘sticking with the system or rebelling against (aka changing) it’ and how you go about it, the cost of changing or not changing how America functions is bound to come up. It may be an undercurrent, it may be front and center, but it will be there – as will be the spoken or unspoken issue of foreign cultures, religious or state sponsored fanaticism. Religion is a 9th house subject. Fanaticism is Aquarian – as again, so is a ‘social state’ which in combination with the 9th house is easily translated as ‘nations who see things differently than the United States does.’

But there’s a whole other issue which is just as potent as this 9th house Moon. That’s the fact that this chart has 9 Gemini rising and 9 Sagittarius thus at the Descendant. Those two degrees are currently inhabited by Royal Stars Aldebaran (at the Gemini Ascendant) and Antares (at the Sagittarian Descendant).

This is a tricky sort of thing which will have the candidates debating who’s acting (Ascendant) with integrity and who’s obsessed (Antares) with what others do, how they do it, what they don’t do (the way you do, maybe) and what people think of you.

Many an American President has said what they wanted to say, regardless of what others
thought of it.  But when it comes to HOW things have been said,few can hold a candle to
Abraham Lincoln, a man who said more in fewer words while touching more hearts than perhaps
any other President throughout United States history. I'm the first person to say that reading

history can be incredibly dull. But when I sat down to read a collection of Lincoln's writings and
speeches, I came away inspired, gratified and far more aware of history as something current,
not something which exists only in the past.

Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

(photo credit: Erich Robert Joli Weber, June 2012)

On one hand, this lays out a playing field which tests the sheer communicating skills of both candidates. How much of what we will see and hear will be about policy? How much will reveal the nature of each man? How much will each of them play to the audience?

The ruler of the Aldebaran/Ascendant (the integrity of/in what you do) is framed here in theoretical Gemini terms – which may bring out a bit of the preacher in both men. But the ruler of that Gemini is at 23 Scorpio in the 6th house of necessity and conjunct the North Node.

This brings a focus to what responsibility does a government have versus what responsibilities do people have for their own lives. With Mercury and the North Node in 3rd decanate degrees (degrees between 20 and 29 of a given sign) this signals a response which will definitely come after the debate on this topic, whether it gets discussed or not.

And the signs involved here - on the 6th house cusp and its polarity 12th house cusp – because those are Scorpio (on 6) and Pisces on the cusp of the 12th, plainly that which has so far been summarized as ‘the level playing field’ underlies this whole discussion.

With Sedna, the South Node and Algol in the 12th (all in Taurus) we’re likely to hear the ‘out of touch’ conversational touchstone being evoked. Heck, one or both of the candidates may verbally throw it at the other guy!

But the thing to watch out for is probably denoted by  Black Moon Lilith at 4 Gemini conjuncting (take a deep breath) Hybris…arrogance…conjuncting Aldebaran (integrity) at the Ascendant.

This becomes sort of a conversational “he who sounds most arrogant loses” signal. And since the Gemini Ascendant leads through Mercury in Scorpio to (Scorpio’s two rulers) Mars in the 7th house and Pluto in the 8th house, that’s were the emotional cord doth lead.

About the only question is whether that cord is long enough for either candidate to trip over…or hang themselves with.

Mars is not strong in the 7th house. Conjunct defender of the household Juno, this would be a conversation about Leadership. Throw in Hidalgo (manners, protocol) and we have a conversation about the many (Sagittarius) things a national leader (Juno) has to deal with with and manage through governmental channels (Hidalgo) before they go pronouncing their opinions or ‘facts’ not yet in evidence.

This last is very Mars in Sagittarius. Sagittarius is a sign known for ‘pronouncements’ (and rhetoric, and dictates) which may have a place in national leadership but probably isn’t the default position for any successful  President.

As for Pluto, Pluto in the 8th in Capricorn suggests two topics at least: the national debt and war. With Pluto still working over the ‘many tangled threads’ symbol we know as Facies, the combination of Mars and Pluto sounds a bit like ‘haste makes waste’ which on the world/national/governmental/military stage could be seriously deadly.

A yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax violaceus) enjoys the beach in Boca Raton. It's not likely

any of them will attend the Presidential Debate, but you never know!

(Ianare Sevi, June 2009)

One more item well worth noting here before turning to individual charts…Vesta is going retrograde on the very date of this debate: October 22nd. Which means Vesta is going on station as of the 20th - which is why this post is hitting the digital airwaves now.

You know...it's that old 'station allowance' thing. Two days (maybe a bit more) before and the same after the date of station? That means Vesta's station effects begin on the 20th and run through the 24th.

We also know that Vesta is doing its ‘turnabout’ at 25 Gemini. And since 25 is a 3rd decanate degree, we know that other people are going to get input and say on the  standard Vesta question of ‘promises.’

But to equate Vesta just with the word 'promises' is to short-change the subject. Yes, Vesta does sometimes surface in someone getting all miffed because ’you promised that…’

So this would not be the moment to go and break your word. Not even for cutting corners on your word!

Although...well, this might be the moment for thinking over corner cutting you've already done. Or how you can explain that promise you didn't mean to break but...

You know, that stuff.

So Vesta is promises, plain and simple. but Vesta is also all about what it takes to keep a promise. All those comments you make to yourself about what you need to do or get done. All the feelings and working out of schedules to meet that schedule.

With Vesta in Gemini, and with Gemini being ruled by Mercury, that does leads us right back to that Mars and Pluto as rulers of Scorpio conversation.

But it also indicates a choice. And that combination of 'promise' plus 'choice' is both the choosing to promise and the hard-nosed concept that nine times out of ten when we do break a promise (if we do) we choose to do so knowing what we're doing.

Oh, what a nuance to add to a political debate!

But that Mercury quality...considering that the Mercury of the debate chart is in the 6th house that points to one's 'functionaries.' And when it comes to a President or a presidential candidate, there are functionaries a-plenty.

Let's see...foreign affairs...functionaries...matters to be debated...one could guess we will hear more about recent tragic doings in the Middle East.

 Who will spend the next four years living here?

The White House (south side) in Washington, DC

(photo credit Cezary p, July 2008)

Back to the 6th house. The 6th house of a national chart is, among other things its military, health care and the  civil service - which in the case of the United States includes Congress.

Oh, gosh oh golly gee...such things could get said! All of the above (health care, the military, Congress) are hot-button subjects. But with the Moon and Mercury in square by house? Part one: whoever talks about any of these topics had better know their facts. Part two, they had best have both a problem and solution on tap, lest they look petulant. Because Mercury rules that Ascedant-conjunct-Aldebaran, their statements must reek of integrity...the 'winning' attitude with this combo will be the guy who knows how to pose their statements as implied questions - not accusations.

And no matter the format, things may get feisty! Even a touch testy. Scorpio and Aquarius are both fixed signs: feelings and convictions will be there under the skin. With the Moon in Aquarius, taking the high road is a good idea, though getting haughty or arrogant (which tend to be the negative side of the Scorpio Moon) is not a good idea. Whatever sign the Moon is in, that spells out (among other things) what qualities the audience is going to be sensitive to. With an Aquarian Moon, care is advised...but evasion isn't. The job of Aquarius is to take the job on: to show what you can do and prove you deserve approval.

One other note to this square-by-sign: treating people like numbers...or using difficulties, challenges or tragedies merely for a political goad isn't going to wash. Making the point while showing that they know real people are involved (Americans or otherwise) is important to both candidates. The 'business' of war is about people, not commerce or personal power. Anyone who gets near those negatives is going to blow themselves out of the water (pardon the pun!).

Another point about this chart: it contains a Ceres-Saturn-Neptune grand trine. Among other things, one can bet there are many non-Americans listening to this debate. It's also more likely than usual that something will get said which is particularly telling...or maybe just entirely memorable.

Debates are funny that way. Get people talking and even the most schooled of politicians will sometimes go and say the gob-stopping-est things!

For Governor Romney on a personal basis, that his native Pluto (at 22 Leo) exactly opposite the Moon of this debate puts him on a tightrope between his desire to get people to think his way and an inborn instinct to be the private sort of person his personality…or his Mormonism (or maybe both) have created him to be.

Governor Mitt Romney

March 12, 1947 - 9:51 a.m. - Detroit, MI

That Governor Romney’s personal Asc-Dsc line lies at 1 Gemini/1 Sagittarius suggests he will go into this debate feeling somewhat at home. With his native Ascendant conjunct the debate’s Black Moon Lilith (at 4 Gemini)…is that a good idea? The Black Moon is always some sort of ‘externalized’ denial – as opposed to asteroid Lilith, which is about our internal issues with emotional denial. But on the outside? This is either Romney wanting to deny something that he’s done or said, wanting to deny some portion of society something, or being denied a (Gemini) hearing no matter what he does.

Romney’s Gemini Ascendant is ruled by his Pisces Mercury. This is an emotional Mercury which can charm or inspire, but which isn’t always strong. In square to Romney’s natal Uranus in the 1st house, this also the very description of the fact that Romney appears to contradict himself (or change positions on the proverbial dime) …but also why: a Gemini Uranus in the 1st ruled by a Pisces Mercury in the 11th is ‘built’ to get what is wanted in the moment. It’s not the same as lying; with both planets in emotional degrees what underpins this tendency is a genuine desire to be liked and – at some level – an insecurity with/about Self.

As for President Obama, his Ascendant is 10 Aquarius and his Descendant is 10 Leo (the later ruled by a 12 Leo Sun which makes him very adept at being in front of the public). With his Ascendant one degree off the debate’s 11 Aquarius Moon, he could be overly professorial again. Then again, he could come off as divisive.

President Barack Obama

August 4, 1961 - 7:24 p.m. - Honolulu, HI

With his natal Moon at 3 Gemini, he too has Black Moon Lilith problems, though since Obama’s Moon is natively well placed (particularly for a President) in the 4th house, he may use this Moon/Lilith dynamic to emphasize what people don’t have but need if they’re going to get ahead. Or if the US is going to be built (modernized?) to compete on the international stage.

(Mitt Romney’s Moon being intercepted in the 6th house has helped make him rich via Bain Capital, but it isn’t as likely to connect to everyday people. While streamlining companies has its pluses, right now all people are going to hear is ‘you’re getting wealthy by firing people’ and that’s not a big vote-getter!)

The Nodal axis in Obama’s chart runs from 27 Aquarius (South Node) to 27 Leo (North Node) – and in that aligns rather well with the ‘where this is going’ Midheaven-Nadir of the debate chart. With his Uranus conjunct his North Node he may get distracted and off conversation and if he does, that will hurt him. Obama’s tendency to be a ‘big picture’ thinker isn’t exactly compatible with people wanting him to talk to them.

We’ll have to see if he remembers.

Whatever happens and however the President and Governor Romney go about saying whatever they’re going to say, it’s pretty sure everyone out here in audience-land will remember what gets said.

And then…finally!…the nation will go to the polls and all the votes will get counted.

WHOEVER YOUR CANDIDATE IS,

ELECTION DAY IS NOVEMBER 6TH!

BE SURE TO VOTE!

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Syrian Turmoil as a Global Mirror

 Chart for the Syrian Arab Republic

April 17, 1946 - Damascus (noon)

Syria has been having a lot of political problems for a very long time. Tales of brutalities, and of late atrocities, have emanated from Syria for years now.

 Map of Syria

With Uranus’ March 2011 entrance into Aries, Syrians took their cue from Egyptians and others, accessing social media as their way to provide a global window on their world. The Syrian government has done all it can to clamp down on such exposure, but video and Tweets and other bits of at least awful – if not frankly damning - evidence has gotten sent out.

That ingress of Uranus into Aries is all about our asserting ourselves. It’s about finding out who we are and becoming known to others, whether that happens because we finally stand up for ourselves…or maybe because something happens to reveal our true nature.

BLOG on URANUS entering ARIES

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Or at least facets which have been hidden up until now.

In the case of Syria, its national Mercury stands at 0 Aries 29. So Uranus was pretty quick to roll over that point. And as it did, Syrian voices – on both sides – rose up in a clamor.

That it has become louder just lately (prompting reactions from various heads of state including President Obama) would seem quite in keeping with the 11 Gemini solar eclipse having either ‘set off’ or ‘blacking out’ (depending on how you think of it) the national Uranus at 14 Gemini. With Uranus in this chart stand Rigel/Kallisto (I’ll teach you how beastly I can be!)… and asteroid Hel with Aldebaran on the other – which is arguably ‘how difficult it really is to have integrity.’

From either point of view – citizen or leader -  that last would seem to be distressingly true, too.

That Saturn is taking its June 2011 station at 10 Libra and therefore conjunct Byblis/Ixion is – one hopes – a ‘turning point’ in some process where national forces feel entitled (Ixion) to do and defend something unspeakable (Byblis). That the June 15 lunar eclipse at 24 Sagittarius conjuncts a South Node (the easiest ting to do) which stands conjunct Sisyphus and Ras Alhague however…?

Lunar eclipses are always emotional high points (for good or bad) and they always bring one ‘back down to Earth’ (earth=reality). In Sagittarius, this is a particularly edgy point and though one would expect the ‘flash point’ of any lunar eclipse to be rather right on the day there is astrological theory to suggest that as the South Node is at 22 Sagittarius and the lunar eclipse is at 24 Sagittarius, a ‘flash point’ may precede the eclipse by two days – making it June 13th (UT/+0) instead of June 15.

 Al-Hamidiyah Souq

photo credit: Bernard Gagnon (March 2010)

Ras Alhague has a bad reputation. When used to the good it is a ‘strong reaction’ which is made for the good or so that things can ultimately heal – as when a difficult/dangerous (painful, costly, etc.) surgery is undertaken so that ultimately the life is saved.

Unfortunately, here we have Ras Alhague positioned with Sisyphus. And Sisyphus is all about those who have the opportunity to do good choosing not to do good at all.

LINK to Daykeeper Journal Article

on Sisyphus, Damocles and Typhon

Together, this doesn’t suggest a South Node/lunar eclipse combination likely to indicate anything particularly nice.

That the July 1st solar eclipse at 9 Cancer hits Syria’s Mirzam/Sappho, Alhena, Niobe, Scheherazade, Sirius and Hybris…? Mirzam represents the ‘bringing of a message’ whether or not anything is done with, or about the information. Mirzam/Sappho is thus a universal message.

Alhena speaks to ‘one’s purpose’ whether that be the destiny of courage or the mark of Cain.

Niobe is pride – pride which is ultimately self defeating. Where we see Niobe energized we see pride and braggarts who think they ‘have it all’…only to have that ‘all’ taken away from them.

Scheherazade is a teller of tales. The attempt is to enchant and to save your own skin.

Sirius is a star which speaks to ‘small actions which lead to large consequences.’ When we operate Sirius well, we recognize that even the smallest of efforts count. Because Sirius stands so close to Alhena we become aware that the degree of our true intent or focus, whether for good or bad, is a good deal of the energy which lies behind charisma.

Last in line here is Hybris. Having run across information which links this Greek term to what we think of as ‘entitlement,’ one would wonder what the difference is between Hybris and Ixion until you read the whole of the tale about Ixion and realize that one (Ixion) is a Plutino and that Hybris is an asteroid.

LINK to ARTICLE ON IXION

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Hybris is thus moments when we meet up with our own entitlement (and whether we are “entitled to”) where Ixion’s form of entitlement is either part of our ‘fantasy nature’ or something thrust upon or enticed out of us. Beyond that, Hybris – by virtue of being an asteroid - would seem to indicate ‘moments’ we can get past where Ixion seems to lead to or indicate long term problems.

Well…except in the case of a solar eclipse. Remembering that solar eclipses act very much like transits which last three full years, this evocation of Syria’s Hybris (along with everything else) seems to tell us that the course Syria is currently on is going to continue being various shades of very difficult for some time to come.

 

Uranus/Black Moon Lilith: A Celebration of the (Maybe?) Possible

The Moon as it appears to us on Earth when at it's perigee

(closest/largest) and apogee (farthest/smaller), all of which has

to do with a natural orbital cycle. The difference - which is about 12%, and

that closest point - the perigee - as it shifts through the zodiac

is what we know as Black Moon Lilith, or everything about society

or our need to interact with/cooperate with/contribute to that society

which we'd each of us really rather not deal with

photo credit: NASA/JPL 

Our modern world seems increasingly tolerant of bad behavior, acting out and mud slinging – at least when it’s your friends slinging the mud or doing the name calling.

And has anyone noticed that amidst the uproar and lack of civility there’s a whole lot of lying going on?

Come April 18th, all such is likely to reach a new high (or low, depending on how you feel about it) as Uranus and Black Moon Lilith (the calculated form of Lilith having to do with the Moon’s orbit around Earth) meet up at 2 Aries, a degree known for a lack of continuity or follow-through…which seems right in line with all the pretense and posturing we’ve seen of late.

Lest you think otherwise, even astrologers quibble amongst themselves…one of my most memorable (and least liked) fractious moments was when an astrologer I know got all bent by the fact there’s a Black Moon Lilith (a calculated point) and an asteroid Lilith. Personally, I think it makes perfect sense – hence my having no issue with sorting out the matter in a blog of some time back (LINK). If the point behaves in a ‘Lilith manner’ (meaning it coordinates with our ability to deny something ‘equally valid’ which has/should have its own ‘equally valid’ worth, or say in life)…then I don’t mind using the same name twice.

This person did. Big time. And no, I won’t be surprised if I get a miffed email that I would dare state, recount or (gasp!) defend my point of view.

Some people have a problem with other people not sharing their perspectives. And that’s what we’re likely to see – and experience – now.

Uranus being a planet which incites, explodes, reveals and signals ‘breakthroughs,’ there is some chance that some who have devotedly avoided the facts will suddenly get a clue. But let’s be real – this is Uranus plus the Black Moon so there’s a much, much greater likelihood that those supervising the space race of the 1960s’ would gawk in amazed astonishment at some of the soaring flights of fancy which go off now.

You’ve probably heard me chatting about Black Moon Lilith and Uranus separately for some time now…truth is, these two have been playing catch-up (not katsup!) with each other since January 11th. And yes, that was a scant week-plus after the infamous Solar Eclipse (conjunct Vega) at 13 Capricorn which signaled so much Capricorn fracas which has become so problematic ever since.

As they came into transiting orb of each other, Uranus and Lilith were both in the last ten degrees (the last decanate) of Pisces. And since the last ten degrees of any sign indicates an area or arena in which we are respondents and not instigators, with Pisces being (among other things) a sign of ‘the truth of something against some fantasy you might have wanted/want to believe about it’….so we have had everything from national rebellions to political bodies attempting to wipe out personal/collective rights to people far and wide getting big-time lessons on exactly what we do and don’t know about natural forces (tectonics and tsunamis) along with nuclear power. (It’s not nice to try and fool Mother Nature, remember?)

Meeting up briefly on April 7, 8 and 9 (a period the United States tastefully enshrined by threatening to ‘shut the government down’ over passing a much-delayed budget, not to mention like dramas going on around the world)…for the intervening days Uranus and its Black Moon cohort have again been separated. By only a degree, ‘tis true – but astrologically, this counts. It’s like taking something off the high boil flame and setting it on a simmer. Yes, you will still scorch your hand if you stick it in the water (it’s still hot, in other words) but at least no more fuel is being added at the moment – the stoking of the fire, the raising of pressure (blood pressure, emotional pressure, pipe pressure – name your pressure!) isn’t continuing to press and/or rise. 

But now Uranus and calculated (societal) Lilith once again unite. And they will remain united, manifesting in all our least liked ways, from April 16th through 19th.

After that, the Black Moon moves on, meeting up with Venus on April 23rd, which will probably not be the word’s favorite date, especially considering that April 23rd is also the date when Mercury turns direct.

Set your calendar clocks…let’s see what happens.

So how long will it take for this unlovable if highly dynamic duo to part company and get out of each other’s orb of influence?

Would you believe June 22nd?

Uh…yeah. And that means that this whole fractious Uranus-Black Moon Lilith vibe will still be in force when the June 1st Solar Eclipse goes off.

Oh frabjous day, right?

NOT!

Maybe even more interesting (not to mention to the point) is that when that date of June 22nd rolls around, Black Moon Lilith will be at 10 Aries. Does that ring a bell? Well it will if you’re a devotee of Saturn, since as June 13th, Saturn will be going direct at 10 Libra – directly across the zodiac from Black Moon Lilith at 10 Aries. This either marks a moment of ‘stoppage’ or ‘limit' or ‘limitation’ or ‘the defining of a boundary.’ And let’s remember, when we talk about Black Moon Lilith, we are talking about a societal force (of whatever kind) which is equally valid and which, whether we like it or not, has a voice equal to our own.

Oh – and before I forget…Saturn will retrograde into 10 Libra as of May 17/18th (depending where you are). And given the mechanics of retrogrades-turning-direct (plus relatively ‘slower’ movement of planets as we move farther and farther out through the solar system), it’s also probably worth bearing in mind that Saturn isn’t going to leave 10 Libra until July 8th.

More on that in some other blog.

So…is there something good which can come of this whole mish-mash? Sure! Any of us can stop pretending and start getting more real about life, the fact that facts really are facts…we can get realistic about relationships or money or the fact that rules are often there for reasons and are not just something dreamed up to annoy us…we can figure out what’s not working in our life and begin to take on the job of working with and in our world so as to become a viable and valued member of society – or at least our local group or clan….

There are LOTS of good things which can come of this time. They just require (Uranian) change. And since Uranus and Black Moon Lilith are both transiting Aries, the crux of the whole thing – and thus many of our problems is that we do all think that whatever our issues are that ‘they’ need to change. Or that ‘they’ are supposed to solve our problems. Or that ‘they’ are/were entirely and totally wrong and therefore 100% responsible for all the problems.

WRONG!

(insert: sound of game show buzzer...)

Remember that old saying ‘it takes two to tango’? That’s the hint here. What we put out comes back to us: resistance begets counter-resistance, attempts to dominate stir up rebellion, having less than sterling (or even functional boundaries) delivers us in the hands of a life or a situation where we feel like we have no say and no options and no ability to draw any limits.

The ‘magical’ quality here is that we can ‘disempower’ Black Moon Lilith. And if we do, in doing so, if we undertake this task between now and June 22nd, to the extent that we deal with our denials and accept our part in things and change our means, methods or attitudes (and rules for ourselves, considering Saturn lies at the other end of this discussion!)…but doing so we will automatically covert all that Uranian energy. Having been disruptive and dismantling, it will as if struck by a magic wand convert into a discovery force which innovates and opens doors to the new, bold and exciting.

And we certainly have a good while to get to this, don’t we? Of course, considering how deep denial runs, we’ll probably need every moment of every day for a while just to get hold of the problem.

But hey – when you’re sick and tired of living in a contentious pit you’ll take on the lion…and probably find out that in the end, it’s just a little puddy tat...the You that you haven't really wanted to deal with but which You've in actually been hindered by not having as an asset - your asset.

And who doesn't need more personal assets, right?

Hidalgo on station

  Backlot ‘Western Street’ at Universal Studios
photo credit: Ipsingh

I don’t know about you, but there’s something very ‘old western movie’ about Hidalgo going on station in the last days of Uranus being at 29 intense and critical degrees of Pisces. It's got a bit of showdown at the OK Corral, if you get me.

But instead of attempting to swagger through a bunch of text (trust me, I do a lousy John Wayne!) I’ll just get to the facts, which are….

Asteroid Hidalgo enters its two-day station prior to turning retrograde at 4:23pm (UT/+0) on March 10th – meaning Hidalgo will actually go retrograde on March 12th at 4:23pm (UT/+0). And yes, Hidalgo’s station effects – like all station effects – continue on for another two days after the actual turn of direction, which means they end on March 14th.

Hidalgo goes on station as Bali’s station is already in progress (as of the 9th), as we chit-chatted about in the last blog. In going on station in Scorpio (and conjunct rainmaker Huya), this sets a ‘stage’ for Hidalgo’s station which would seem to be very noble or very ‘I’m out for myself.’

But let's not forget...with Neptune at 28 Aquarius and Uranus at 29 Pisces, this is by definition a moment which while intensely what it is...is also somewhat lacking in perspective. Maybe even realism.

And yet, some things we would shy away from in the coldest light of clarity do and will get done when fervency or ideals...even desperation carry us through!

Where does the name ‘Hidalgo’ come from, you ask? At peril of waxing western movie again, there are many references for Hidalgo to be found “out there” with most being simply a reference to a Spanish term for nobility or gentry, which considering the societal roots of same points us in a sort of ‘dutiful heroic’ sort of direction.

And that works with Hidalgo in the chart, where it seems to function with a focus on a sort of ‘save the day’ point of view. But don’t get too locked in about what that means, as Hidalgo is one of those celestial symbols which flexes very much depending on where its located in any given chart (and what it’s associated with or ruled by). Hidalgo can indeed represent being the hero. Or doing the noble thing. Then again, it can symbolize the need for a hero or being put in a position that you really need for someone else to do a noble thing.

Hidalgo can even represent being inspired by or affected by seeing someone wearing either the very white or very black hat in the classical villain/hero sort of set-up.

This polarizing effect – plus the personal/impersonal quality astrology presents is what makes some think making predictions with astrology isn’t possible. I happen not to believe that – but I also think you have to be into a lot of detail work to make accurate predictions.

Anyway…take all those Hidalgo concepts and put them in a pot, turn the mental bubble down to low and let that simmer while we discuss where this station is occurring – namely 11 Sagittarius.

So what does that tell us (we ask most diligently…)?

For one, this tells us our good/bad instincts, estimations and reactions (opinions?) are based in ‘fire concepts’ at the moment – and more or less over the next four or so days. Astrological fire meaning imagination-versus-idealism there is – as always with fire – the challenge to recognize the real from the hope, and to remember that fire is all about getting spurred on to greater things. Fire is supposed to ‘heat us up’ and get us all ‘fired up’ and ‘firing on all cylinders,’ to use some handy  expressions.

The down side with fire is when we expect it to be true. So while it seems sensible with Hidalgo at 11 Sagittarius to want to help and “be the hero” the reality is that you could help and New York could just not schedule that ticker tape parade.

 The solar system’s main asteroid belt is situated between Mars and Jupiter. Objects which orbit outside the Jupiter margin but which come into the asteroid belt but not beyond Mars are generally classed as ‘Centaurs’
diagram source: NASA/JPL

Or maybe you want to do something great, but it doesn’t work. Can you be content with being the heroic person who tries to help? So often we underestimate the worth of trying, even when our shot goes wide of the mark. Fire elements – among other things – test our ability to deal with ‘try, try again’ as a concept, recognizing that the skills which are there to be honed are ours. The issue is not, as we sometimes think, where the target is put. Or that pesky cross wind. Sometimes it’s all about whether we’ve built up enough strength to be able to handle the heavy bow with enough skill to drive that arrow through those cross winds and hit that target even if it is an extra twenty yards away.

Speaking of such, the lore for 11 Sagittarius is all about one’s ability to actually do things. There’s a dollop of outspokenness which goes along with applying one’s self to the task(s) at hand…and yes, it’s probably better if that’s not all simple braggadocio, which this degree supports by sprinkling diplomacy atop the outspokenness.

Astronomically, Hidalgo is a much interesting critter. Classed as a Centaur, Hidalgo’s orbit takes it out as far as just past Jupiter and pretty much all the way inward through the asteroid belt to just shy of Mars.

That’s a pretty curious cycle, metaphysically. The whole of the space between Mars (the ‘I want/intend to do’ planet) and Jupiter (the ‘I know how to get where I want to go’) planet is populated by asteroids. There are thousands of them, and they represent all the things we encounter, learn from and end up having to consider on our way from initiation or instigation (Mars) to knowing how to get where we really want to go.

Being one of these objects we would think Hidalgo represents ‘just another thing we have to consider and deal with’ on our way through life except that its’ orbit takes it beyond Jupiter.

So Hidalgo is about going beyond what one knows – which may be part of its nobility and heroic quality. You know…fools and heroes rush in where angels allegedly fear to tread and all that?

This rather reminds me of two things…one, the lesson of Aries courage. Aries courage is not necessarily about knowing you can ‘do this’ so much as its about knowing “this” (whatever “this” is) just needs to be done. We go past what we “know” (Jupiter) we can do and do it anyway.

There are a lot of children’s books written with this theme – the hero goes out and does the thing which nobody wants to tell them can’t be done. A lot of great things have happened in life because no one told us we couldn’t do it. We just went out and did it and everybody gawked.

Of course, there are bumblebees. Apparently in engineering terms, they’re not properly designed to fly. Wings too small…body too large – or something like that.

Except nobody told the bumblebees. They go on flying not knowing they can’t!

 A bumblebee – one of nature’s wonders
Photo credit: Sffubs (2008) 

Yet metaphysically, we wouldn’t say Hidalgo is about ‘achievement’ per se. For us to say that, it’s orbit would have to go all the way out to Saturn. And it doesn’t. It just goes beyond Jupiter.

So where Hidalgo is concerned, we go beyond where we know. Or we realize to succeed, we have to go beyond the known. Or we become inspired by someone who shows us doing such a thing is actually possible.

Or yes, we may need help with getting past what we know – our own sense of limits.

Worth a mention here is that back a few weeks, TNO Chaos – symbolic of new and endless potentials – went direct at 11 Gemini. (LINK to blog post), a degree which is about emotional choices, emotional provocations, emotional subjects, and situations which provoke our emotions and our need to think and choose. That period coincided with many events – protests and (yes,) chaos in the Middle East, protests and (more) chaos in the US…much turmoil and emotionality of opinion was being voiced (Gemini) everywhere we looked.

Now come the question what are you going to do about it? And as this question comes to fore, we are really treated to – beyond the momentary situation – a truly excellent opportunity to see how signs in opposition are really a fruition of each other’s dynamic. The idea (Gemini) means very little if you don’t do something about it (Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter) replete with fixing the glitches and struggling to make it all work on the road to (Capricorn, ruled by Saturn) accomplishing your various aims.

As we said, Bali has already moved into its days of station effect – doing so in conjunction with Huya, the rainmaker which asks that we use the lessons we’ve learned to help others, through which we help ourselves.

Bali actually goes retrograde on March 11th, which is right when Uranus reaches critical max at 29 Pisces. Hidalgo will go retrograde on the 12th, just some hours after Uranus enters Aries.

There's a lot going on right now. Even if you're a full-fledged, mega-multitasking astrologer, it's complicated. The good news is that as blogs covering the details of these go up, they're there for reference! You can go back and read, check, peruse or even grumble at them any time that you like!

Sometimes it just helps to piece the story together as things happen in life - your personal life or that you hear going on around you.

This can be an exciting or threatening time, depending on how you react. Change is in the works – that’s one thing we can count on. Are you ready to get in there and change who you are in this world and the world you exist in?

Yes, I know...there are those among us who totally hate the idea of change. And there are those who think change is fine so long as it doesn’t affect them…!

The funny thing is, the more you push change away, the more life becomes a roller coaster which you didn't mean to embark on!

The biggest object in the astrological pot at the moment is Uranus. So the Uranian rule ‘when in doubt, be flexible’ tells us to roll with the punches and to do what needs doing.

And if that takes us beyond what we know? Well then, maybe that’s a sign that we simply don’t know everything it’s useful for us to know yet. In which case, willingness really counts.

You know…that willingness to learn and to change (Uranus) and be happy (Bali) with who we are and that there not only isn’t just good in this life, but we each embody – and thus have the ability to utilize and benefit by (Huya) the endless sort of resourcefulness which being human really gives us (Chaos.)

That would seem to be pretty noble and pretty heroic right there, don’t you agree?