The Leonid Meteor Shower

An 1889 engraving of the Leonid meteor shower by

Adolf Vollmy (from an earlier painting).

It's time for another meteor shower...the metaphysical equivalent of ideas being 'showered' upon us.

And since this one comes from comet Tempel-Tuttle, that's where we will go (first) to contemplate what these ideas are about. Or what they're meant to prompt.

When officially 'discovered' on January 6, 1866, comet Temple-Tuttle was at it's perihelion (closest point to Earth) in Leo. From that, we can take a theme that Temple-Tuttle (and ideas associated with it) have to do with how/whether we are willing to stretch our boundaries and do, be, and make more of ourselves or from whatever our abilities/resources.

The common things associated with Leo are children, amusement parks, dating, art projects, athletic training and competitions, hobbies...all of which are areas which are what we might call the "second step" in the greater fixed sign cycle. That cycle, one which is intrinsic to human development, is in each of our lives the challenge to "make something of ourselves and our lives" which works socially and in society, which changes social trends and/or society and which creates a place for us socially and in the greater social world.

It's a whole interesting subject, fixed signs - and for you horoscope gazers, the houses associated with them.

For the moment, all we'll say is that Leo is the second step in the process: the recognizing that something might be possible...but that it might not work out the way you like. Kids, dating, athletics...do any of these come with a guarantee of fun, pleasure and success? 

Uh, no. Unfortunately no - but no. Kids can be the bane of their parents or grow up to be mass murders, dating can be a disaster and we can be plum terrible at some sport or lose every competition we get into.

In every case, Leo is a two part challenge. One, will we that the chance and take on the risk? And two, how well do we deal with the ups and downs, the 'yay's and 'oy veys!' which come with such efforts? Leo is a fire sign land of imagination. And there's no doubt but that imagining what we could do or what fun and glorious things could happen serve as motivation to entice us into the risk.

NGC 3627 - also known as Messier 66

photo credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The problem is when those ideals or expectations get dashed. Or when we so prefer the ideal or expectation that we substitute it for the truth - or reject that some of our best lessons come not through the victories, but through the failures.

A couple of days ago a friend reminded me of a story about Jonas Salk, the man who (eventually, after many a trial and error) came up with the polio vaccine, virtually wiping polio off the map. He'd had a bunch of failed efforts along the way and after the great triumph of the effective vaccine became word of the day, an interviewer asked Dr. Salk how he felt about those failures. How terrible was it to live through all those disappointments?

Nonsense! Dr. Salk rejected the whole idea. I needed every one of those failures - they are what taught me what would actually work. (Not an exact quote, but you get the idea...)

That's a really good theme for the whole Leo spectrum. And if we look at when this 'founding comet' of the Leonid shower was when discovered, we see that at that moment Sedna - the symbol of our need to let go of childish expectations so that we can create instead of being provided for - Sedna was at 29 Pisces, the last degree of the zodiac.

(article on SEDNA)

That's a pretty good hint that Tempel-Tuttle (and thus  ideas 'showered' upon us as Earth passes through its wake) are about things ripe to pass away...but which we are reluctant to let go of.

Obviously the Sun isn't passing through Leo at the moment. But if the originating point of the meteor shower which began on the 10th and which reaches its peak now on November 21th (extending on through the 21st) ...if the comet which produces this meteor shower is at its closest point to us when in Leo, then Leo's positives, negatives and dynamics are both what test us now...and what in the end are the tools which solve our problems. 

The Leo problem list: arrogance, selfishness/self-centerness, willful blindness, foolish risks, needing to be right, stubbornness, and procrastination based on over-focusing on ego (who me, risk being wrong?), grandiosity, rebelliousness.

Leo strengths: courage, foresight, generosity of spirit, strength-in-supportiveness, humor, creativity, strength, clever/innovative ideas, leadership, protectiveness, willingness to shoulder burdens in a good cause, conviction, nobility.

 Constellation Leo at November 17, 2010 with its
major stars and some surrounding nebulae
(yellow circles) labeled.

(image produced by B. Hart, CAP using Stellarium software) 

Being that we're looking to this 'area' of the sky as the point at where comet Tempel-Tuttle 'delivers' its message, considering a few of the stars - as apart from the constellation Leo - may also suggest a few themes.

Without question, the most famous of the Leo stars is royal star Regulus. Like all of the great Persian 'royal stars,' Regulus represents great potential for success in whatever area of the chart it falls IF we can avoid a certain sort of human failing. With Regulus, the tendency is that to crave or act on a desire for revenge.

And though most of us thing of 'revenge' as the knife wielding fantasy, that's not the whole score. 'Revenge' can be anything from the need for passive-aggressive "mistakes" and "forgetting" to spiteful tit-for-tat, or - quite in keeping with Leo challenges - the need to quash, squash, overpower, overlord...or simply be better than somebody else.

Or everyone else, yes. That too.

Another famous Leo star is Denebola, a star which is about breaking with convention, and how doing so can bring on persecution or be the sign of a persecutor.

Of course with enough internal strength, Denebola could also be a sign of genius. Or the sign of the defender against persecution. But this does take dear effort - at a level which challenges one's desire to simply shine by being apart and being different and proving your point - because its yours...which is dangerously close, and maybe the essence of self-undoing here.

The last of the three stars we're going to toss into this pot-full of discussion is Zosma. Said to represent the lion's back, Zosma figures in a story told about Hercules, where the great hero breaks a lion's back. Traditionally associated with the 'breaking' of the feminine (receptive-responsive) tradition this first labor of Hercules stresses the lion's role as fighter as opposed to defender of the pride.

Lion of Nemea

by Peter Paul Rubens

And yet...maybe we need to rethink this image. Seeing that we're talking about humans here - about points in each one of our charts, is this 'the pride' or 'our pride'?

One other note about Zosma is its association with the natural world - the Wiccan (Sacred Witch's) reverence for nature and Hercules' 'superhuman' persecution thereof.

Ultimately, maybe the most important thing we need to know about Tempel-Tuttle is that it's a comet. At its greatest distance from the Sun, Tempel-Tuttle is 19.69 astronomical units from its star.

To put that in perspective, Uranus is at its farthest, 20.083 au from the Sun...and at its closest, 18.375 au from the Sun. So this comet's metaphysical "origination" space is definitely Uranian. Thus what it brings to us is change.

At its nearest, Tempel-Tuttel doesn't come quite as near to us as asteroid Apollo (light/enlightenment) does. Nor even as close as hasty, 'leap before you look' Icarus does. But it does cross both their orbits. So whatever kinds of 'change' this comet represents, it's more of a 'boat rocking' mechanism than an actual cosmic alarm clock going off.

Nor is Tempel Tuttle at its closest position just now. Having reached that (the perihelion) point back just a couple of years ago, it's on its way "back out." The implication is thus that we're dealing with changes which have already come upon us. Or that we've been shown we need to change...and that change is now in the air. We're ready to change. We're ripe for change.

And let's not forget - the peak of this 'shower of ideas' (maybe nudges? maybe urgings?) is happening as Venus and Jupiter are both on station.

This is thus a great time to let yourself grow. Not go - grow! It's a moment to grapple with our own Nemean Lion, for sorting out how we really feel about the nature of our nature, sorting the Zosma from the Denebola (as it were) in deciding the difference between our uniqueness and where we are perhaps merely in rebellion. How do we stand apart? And are we standing apart from ourselves, persecuting perhaps that intrinsic quality (or persecuting ourselves for having some quality) which we see as a weakness...but which really could - and should be - a personal strength?

Every year at about this time, planet Earth passes through the realm of Leonid meteors: streaks of light in our night which in moments unsuspected fall upon us, sparking renewed recognition of the wonder which is our human heart, mortal soul and spirit of conviction.

Venus Retrograde 2010: The Sticky Wicked?

Venus going retrograde on October 8th (at 14:46 UT) puts all of us on notice that the things which have been slowly taking shape on the outside for the past few weeks are now going to begin affecting us more personally and to our core.

Because Venus is symbolizes our ability to realize things or bring them into our life as a 'tangible reality,' for Venus to go retrograde means two things. One, that our concepts of tangible reality and what things are worth are going to come up for review. Maybe even get challenged. For instance, during retrograde would be a likely moment for you to 'get' something you've really been wanting, only to realize you don't like it (or want it) all that much.

This 'the excitement is in the chase' thing is likely to be all the more pronounced (and apply in many more areas) since this retrograde is happening in Scorpio, sign of all interactive desires. And though we think of such (interactive desires) greatly in the intimate relationship arena, it's really far more basic than that. If there's you in your world and there's something you want to bring into your world, find an outlet for, acquire, manage, parlay into more, even repair or get rid of, that's interactive. If you don't have it and you want to achieve or secure it, that's interactive.

If you're want to work on or repair some factor of your life, you're wanting to do so for a reason - that's interactive. In fact, that's literally inter-active, considering you're choosing to act in the cause of fixing, growing, changing, or eliminating some portion of your Self.

In all of this (or any of these) the fact that there is a motivating urge is the key to why Scorpio is said to be first ruled by Mars. The changes which come out of what you choose and how well you choose - that's the Pluto-as-'outcome'-ruler part of Scorpio. And considering that the orbit of Pluto (the celestial object) is governed by Neptune, that gives us a clue as to why 'Pluto moments' (and periods) are filled with reveling in success, wallowing in disillusionment, feeling idyllically fulfilled or haplessly, helplessly crunched.

Neptune (source: NASA/JPL)

Bearing all this in mind we come to the degree at which Venus will go retrograde - which would be 13 Scorpio, a degree which has a reputation for 'loneliness' coupled to 'stubbornness' and 'willfullness.' 

The 'up' side of this combination is its ability to 'create' safety or a 'safe zone' in which to operate. Does this make the Venus station possibly a good time for negotiations? On one hand yes - the days surrounding the station of October 8th (stations having a 2-day leeway in either direction) may find 'opposing factions' finally sitting down to converse in a more-or-less direct manner.

 Venus Station/Retrograde

October 8, 2010 - 7:06 (UT/+0)

With this station occurring as Venus stands in exact conjunction with TNO Huya (link to article on Huya) gives an additional parameter here...namely that those who carry on (stubbornly) doing for the greater good (Huya) will eventually make the greatest gains (Venus as reaping rewards + Huya in its 'rainmaker' function).

But all is not peaches and cream here. In the picture of this station, Venus is conjunct Mars, with Mars positioned at 15 Scorpio. Known rather broadly as a 'lesser developed' Scorpio degree which seems doomed to merely 'do' but never achieve, the probable secret to using 15 Scorpio on the plus side involves recognizing that this is one of the zodiac's 'cross quarter' degrees.

  Cross-quarter points occur at 15 degrees of each

fixed sign. Because fixed signs are the 'middle'

signs in each quadrant of the 'natural' zodiac wheel,

that means cross quarter points bisect each of the

zodiac's 'natrual' quarters.

Fixed signs being notoriously...sticky when it comes to matters of moving on (which can be as good as bad and everywhere between depending on how its used!), the cross-quarter degrees thus become demarcation points. At these points, or as symbols move past these points, we meet the division between 'controlling/managing/gathering facts' and 'releasing, acting on and making  forward thinking decisions' become important. Even vital.

So Venus is at 13 in this picture. And given that we are talking here about it's station/retrograde point, Venus it isn't moving towards release or decision or even really acting on anything. Quite the contrary...with 13 Scorpio being the position of a Black Hole, it is at this point that there is a perception of that Venusian 'wanting it, working on making it real' in life...the it could be true, or I was hoping I would be well received which gets to this point then backs away.

Part of the question thus is...what are we backing away from? The real truth? That which we had hoped for which we now see isn't workable or isn't really what we wanted to begin with? Are we backing away from some sort of effort required to get into some sort of interactive situation? What is being asked of us in that situation?

It being Mars which is standing at the cross-quarter point, the question is plainly how or if to move ahead. Conjunct desirous Eros, the question is whether we 'want it enough' to be willing to do (Mars) whatever is needed so that we are prepared (Venus) to be successful (Venus) as we go (Mars) through the metaphysical 'education-by-interactive application' (Mars moving through the balance of Scorpio and the whole of Sagittarius) in the effort to get where we want to go and emerge lusciously and victoriously satisfied (Mars/Venus).

All while (oh yes...) remembering that for us to 'win' what we want, we have to harness the Huya lesson: to be the rainmaker is to use who and what we are (and know how to do) to help others raise themselves up, producing the abundance of harvest which then spills over in abundance into our own lives. 

Whenever we talk Huya, I suggest thinking of people like Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey and assembly-line maestro Henry Ford. These are people who took what they understand to give others the tools to have a better and more productive life. And though we often think only in monetary terms, Huya can operate through any means or medium. So here seen in conjunction with Venus, the medium could be money. Then again, it could be love. Or satisfaction. Or security - whatever that means to you personally.

With the Mars of this moment conjunct a pulsar, we should all not only expect moments of brilliance, but moments when we have no idea...when we wonder what we're doing or why on earth we're doing it. Given this chart as the 'picturing' of the entire Venus retrograde period, we should expect that theme to carry through - and for progress (such as it will be) to be sporadic. Or spotty. Or achieved by anything except the most direct route.

And that may be where the Venusian stubbornness - aka determination - shown by Venus taking station at 13 Scorpio really comes in.

But with that said, don't think you're waiting entirely on others. It may be tempting to do just that, but that certainly isn't the point of this - or any retrograde cycle. Particularly this one, as Venus' present turn to retrograde is happening just as this year's Orionid meteor shower is beginning.

The Temptress - by Raile

Planets in direct motion are about growth which we experience through the people around us and things which go on in and around our world. Planets in retrograde are about internal growth. So with this one coinciding with a moment in which we are being 'showered with points of light' (meteors as momentary illuminations) recognitions, realizations and gettings of 'the point' are evidently on the menu.

So! Depending on what you've been doing and how much you've already done, this may be a period of  consolidation - when you 'solidify' gains made and really get straight on what you have achieved so far. This is a common concept in military campaigns - you can only extend your supply lines so far before they become so strung out as to be vulnerable.

Where we have 'overstretched' ourselves, life will now make that evident - and from that we will have to consider how to proceed. At the very least we have to hold on for a moment to pull our proverbial pants up. And at the other end of the spectrum, maybe we have simply 'gone too far' in one sense or another: financially, physically, emotionally, in terms of any basic ability to keep up with things. A lot of people will probably come into this station period feeling vengeful, hassled, marginalized,  overwhelmed, bogged down, critical/criticized, hurt (sad, remorseful, insulted, etc.)...or simply boggled.

OR....or they may have been avoiding feeling all those very things.

Whatever is on your plate now, as you go into this Venus retrograde which will take us all the way to mid November, there will be a sense of waiting. But the person you are waiting for first and last is you. This time is about internal growth. It's about getting straight with you about who you are, what you are capable of, what you need to learn how to do - and it's all about how you operate in the world, in the company of (or with) others. That we know because this is all taking place in a  zodiacal 3rd quadrant sign - Scorpio.

We also know that the highs and lows of Scorpio, from elation to despair, from anger and frustration to rejection, denial and bliss born of ignorance...the whole cavalcade of hopes, dreams, demands, disgusts will be on display. If you're someone who doesn't what to 'see' or feel that, that's your call for sure, but then you're just choosing the Scorpio denial/ignorance/abandonment route - which is no better than anything else and often more harmful than most.

In the end, this cycle is about allowing ourselves to learn more about ourselves. It may be prompted by things which will happen now and going forward, or it may be a mixture of that and what has happened up until now. That when Venus goes direct it will go direct in tandem with Jupiter moving back into forward motion is a distinct signal that we have much to gain by being realistic and everything to lose by living in our own world, our own fantasy, our own closed mind, walled off heart or narrowness of spirit.

Where Scorpio is concerned, we serve to filter the good out - we accept all and from that make something good; we are the filter...we are the process of transmutation and metamorphic transformation. That the underlying rule for handling all things Scorpionic is to acknowledge the emotions or feelings at hand then proceed and choose based on facts and the basic Mars/Aries understanding that what you undertake you need to have the courage to see though...that is very much the key to the next six weeks or so.

One more note here: with the Moon of this image at 22 Libra conjunct Child and Spica/Tantalus yet opposition Eris/Edisonia is all about knowing yourself and knowing others. There is a temptation to foist one's childish, tantrum 'I want it!' sort of craving onto others - and where that isn't present, you're likely to have others act out on you.

Twenty-two Libra being all about the choice between careless self-indulgence and the truth of knowing, the primary separation here seems to be one between childish and childlike - and after that between true innocence of conviction/truth-of-innocence and plain immaturity, lack of ability/capacity and those various kinds of ego/self priority of focus which will not play well interactively going forward.

Planet Venus  (source: NASA/JPL)

.

News Flash: Venus Station Effects Begin

 Sandro Botticelli's 'Calumny of Apelles (detail)

Because Venus goes retrograde on the 8th, the so-called 'station effects' begin today and end on the 10th. 

To the negative and for the positive, everyone's feelings are ramped up. And our sensitivity is amped up. Maintaining perspective is important. And maybe difficult. But definitely important! 

As with all station periods, things may 'take a turn,' and considering this is a Venus station we're talking about, the theme would be the 'reality' of something. You may be trying to bring it into being...or you may be so wanting it to just go away and leave you alone.

Whatever is going on, with Venus/Huya telling us we need to think beyond ourselves and Mars/Eros representing a whole lot of hyped up energy, this is hardly a subtle set of days. Dynamics are in flux. The air, our bodies, life itself is charged with emotional energy.  Things people don't mean to show get revealed while those they would prefer to be known for seem to get annoyingly downplayed.

We're all a little out of control. Heck, life itself seems out of control!

It's a classic 'left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing' sort of moment.

 'Drawing Hands' by MC Escher

We all feel a little isolated - and yet not separated enough to feel in control. 

Can we change it? No. But we can dig in and see what's bothering us. That's the real question - why things are getting our attention and evoking our reactions.

With Moon in Libra moving into this station there's a lot of focus on 'the other guy' and the power or talent or position they hold. But don't be fooled. Even if you think they're the star, remember - the star isn't anyone without a positive audience reaction.

Those who have felt undervalued are likely to speak out now. Those who have 'taken' too much on themselves or for themselves will be facing what such imbalances do. 

The challenge is not to contest but to join together. It won't be easy as everybody is feeling more than a little vulnerable. But it is the best way forward; the honesty we are forced to fall back on now in making alliances is testing and telling. Yet in the end if actually expressive of our internal realities, vitally liberating.

"Success" is not the aim in the moment: freeing yourself from emotional bondage...that's the key which in time will allow you to be the person you actually are.

October Dateblog

 Calendula officinalis - October's flower

October is the sort of a month when there's plenty to do, but we're not sure what of that we really want to see done. 

Does that sound conflicted? Well it is....But it isn't. We all want results - we're just not sure about the process required to get those results.

October 1 - 2: Sun and Saturn in early Libra indicate a period of focused activity. With Mars and Venus in Scorpio (the sign right after Libra), there is a strong desire quotient in the air and everyone has their eyes on their own particular goal. Where sides aren't in sync (where your interests don't mesh with those of whoever you are dealing with) progress begins to slow.

Mercury in late degrees of Virgo suggests a lot of 'will that actually work?' conversations, but that's just masking a far larger issue - an overhanging uncertainty which is growing by the day.

October 3 - 7: With Mercury moving into Libra and the Sun reaching Libra's more emotional 2nd decanate (degrees 10-19) a Libra/Mercury willingness to discuss and explore evokes deeper and more feeling-based comprehension of what everybody needs, wants and doesn't feel so sure of. Saturn's exit from the shadow of the retrograde it began back in January 2010 indicates finally laying to rest some real issues which have been hanging like clouds off in the distance, freeing mental space to focus on new concerns. 

With Venus slowing to take station and go retrograde in Scorpio, those concerns are multilateral and involve personal values, our willingness to risk our ego standing (with ourselves, most of all) and why or how we tend to make commitments to one thing, not another.

Intense interactions may well occur now; if challenged, don't fight, explore the facts of the matter, especially as the New Moon of October 7th opens new lines of investigation.

October 8 - 13: As Venus goes retrograde and the Sun moves into Libra's 3rd and most public decanate (degrees 20-29) feelings surface under external provocation. For good and difficult, this can be a highly reactive moment which some will face up to, some will exult in and others will react to by 'hiding out' and refusing to communicate.

If you have penetrating questions to ask, ask them now - just be prepared. You may hear the explanation of all time, the evasion of the century or something you couldn't have dreamed in a million years which either delights or dismays you.

 

 

"Road in Maine" by Edward Hopper 

October 14 - 19: A lot of reactions surface, reflecting Mars' move into Scorpio's 3rd decanate (degrees 20-29). Because Mars/Scorpio is all about 'choice,' this may indicate something as simple as a difference or validation of taste or some request - even demand - for some sort of revision.

Where approval and optimism are forthcoming (either on your part or from others) it's likely to be somewhat tempered by 'unknowns' and considerations of what yet has to be done. This may feel like 'wet blanketing' but especially as Saturn is moving into Libra's 2nd decanate (where thoughts turn to feelings) such hesitation is likely to be an expression of thinking something is good enough and worth enough that it merits whatever care is needed to "get it right."

October 20 - 22: Mercury moving into Scorpio indicates a new 'level' of conversation or communication with the theme being 'investment.' This may involve the risk, this may involve the process, this may involve the need to plan out how a goal can be reached in a step-by-step manner or the focus which will be required to take something from 'theory' into 'reality.'

Saturn moving into the shadow of the retrograde it will take during 2011 tells us that it's worth our time to pay attention and think things through. Those who are bothered by having to defer/postpone gratification may be tempted to push the envelope or overplay their hand now - Venus retrograding back into personal (1st decanate) degrees is now adding a sense of 'I don't care - I just WANT....' to all and sundry.

And let's be real...this may work just fine. But take care where your impatience may curtail or eliminate connections and opportunities. This is one of those moments when thinking long term is annoying, yet probably the best thing you can do. Not insisting on 'having it all' (at least today!) leaves doors open where having a tantrum may earn you a bad reputation and thus limited opportunities down the line.

October 23 - 27: The Sun moving into Scorpio clues us on why things suddenly feel more intense, more critical and yet (given Venus in retrograde) more of a bother, more of a drag and less fun all around.

Mars rolling through Scorpio's last degrees also suggest the source of all such 'necessities' comes not from us, but at some sort of external prompting - be that personal or just things in the news or such.

By paying attention and thinking things through in both the personal and 'greater' (group, societal) terms is  enlightening, though there's a trade off to be sure. The  greater your perspective, the less you're likely to gain and solidify in the short run. Yet the larger and more encompassing your parameters, the more what you plan and do today can pave the way to easier success(es) in months - maybe even years - to come.

Opal - here seen as veins of Australian Opal - is

the birthstone for October. (photo by Aram Dulyan) 

October 28 - 31: Mars entering Sagittarius is likely to manifest as the pace of life increasing on the whole. People becoming more willing to 'experiment' or at least consider options is likely - but as this is done, like as not some 'glitches' will show up, necessitating refinements of thought or methodologies.

With Mercury now in Scorpio's more emotional degrees (which is saying a lot, considering we're talking about Scorpio!) there may be debates and what amount to tug-of-wars for control. Or for the last 'say' on things. Remembering that all Scorpio situations are most profitably approached basing the approach on fact not feeling is difficult maybe...but still pays off, so be wise, not triumphant!

...and Happy Halloween!

 A Halloween Jack 'o' Lantern (photo by Toby Ord)