COSMIC WEATHER
The beginning of something has significance, and what happens in the sky relates to what happens on Earth. The process of individuation involves working with the personal planets, moving through the asteroid belt, then on to the trends of the social planets, with Saturn as the first level of boundary. Balancing the benefits of these key ingredients, and moving through the acculturated limitations allows the crossing of the Centaur bridge where Chiron leads to the transpersonal planets; here, Pluto as the second level boundary. The transpersonal planets are challenging bodies, requiring awakening, flow, and presence before integration and groundedness push out to the new level boundary, Sedna. Understanding these dynamic energies, as demonstrated through the ever-changing cosmic weather, allows a greater ability to live connected to purpose and meaning.
The Sun is the Invincible Spirit. So great is this universal wonder that it must come in small doses, distributed as it travels around the 360 degrees of the Zodiac over the course of a year. The Sun's position symbolizes the active presence of the Divine. At this New Moon, the Sun is at 23 Leo 17. The heat of free playfulness begins to cool as the Sun begins its descent from North to South declination. Soon, here in the Northern Hemisphere, we will feel the refreshing purity of Virgo when the Sun enters enters the sign on August 23rd and approaches the Analemmic crossover point (August 27-September 3).
The Moon is the Receiver, catching emotional attachments, hooks, and patterns. The Moon receives and moves through her angular relationship with the Sun over the course of the month, reflecting the Sun's invincible spirit through her silver light. The Moon delights in shape-shifting, and in the repetitive ebb and flow from night to day and from New to Full in predictable sequence. We see this dance every month, beginning at the New Moon, timed for the Moon's alignment with the Sun, where Soul is connected with Spirit. The August New Moon occurs on Wednesday August 16, 2023 at 5:38 AM Eastern at 23 Leo 17. The Sabian Symbol for this degree reads as follows: A yogi with transcendent power, yet untidy and unkempt.
HIGHLIGHTS 2023
Historic 2019, 20, 21, and 22 are now over. The transcendent foundations for the future have been built. Jupiter is making a transit through the sign of Taurus, aligning with Uranus in April of 2024. Saturn suggests redemptive repair in Pisces, and is restarting in the early degrees of the sign. Neptune is reiterative at the late degrees of Pisces, emphasizing the need to approach the unconscious. Pluto has returned to Capricorn to complete the restructuring begun in 2008, and will not be freely moving into Aquarius until November, 2024. We are travelling through important crossroads globally, once again.
THE ECLIPSE SEASONS
Eclipses occur in pairs or trios. Though the visual effect occurs on the day of, the influence can be felt before, during, and after, covering an immediate period of 6-8 weeks (the eclipse season), and also up to 6 months. The energies can be touched off at various times, depending on the location of the Moon's nodal axis, the Sun, the Moon, or Mars. Solar eclipses occur at New Moons, when the Moon eclipses or blocks the Sun, so that there is an eerie shadow cast on the Earth's surface. Lunar eclipses occur at Full Moons, when the Earth passes between the opposing Sun and the Moon, creating a shadow across the Full Moon. The exactitude of the alignment defines the type (total, annular, partial, appulse). Eclipses resonate at different levels of consciousness. Solar eclipses suggest beginnings; Lunar eclipses suggest endings. Because eclipses involve the alignments of the Sun, the Moon, and the Nodal Axis, eclipses have a "destiny" quality to them. While there is a personal impact, with the position in the Zodiac determining focus, the mundane impact is obvious in the making of history. The trigger point date for sensitivity of the degree is often before or after the exact date. The dates when the 2022 eclipses are activated are listed below, followed by 2023 eclipse dates.
- REVERBERATING 2022 ECLIPSES
- Eclipses are tied to the Lunar Nodes. The Nodal cycle is 18.6 years; the Nodes spend approximately 1.5 years in a sign pair. The power struggles/collaboration of the July activation of the April 20, 2023 Solar Eclipse is still reverberating. The October 14, 2023 Solar Eclipse is revving up for Q4.
- 2023 ECLIPSES
- April 20, 2023 Solar Eclipse at 29 AR 50 Activates after (July 17, 2023)
- May 5, 2023 Lunar Eclipse at 14 SC 58 Activated before (September 10, 2022)
- October 14, 2023 Solar Eclipse at 21 LI 08 Activates after (December 31, 2023)
- October 28, 2023 Lunar Eclipse at 5 TA 09 Activated before (March 6, 2023)
PLANETARY LOCATIONS
Mercury is the communicator. Mercury has 3-4 Retrograde (Rx) cycles every year, each lasting approximately 3 weeks, and each offering a period of reflection, recalibration, revision, and resolution, as Mercury and the Sun exchange the message of a particular degree of the Zodiac. Mercury aims to make connections and move on. Clever, agile, and appreciative of humor, Mercury will bring wisdom to the conversation with light and good will. At this New Moon, Mercury is Direct at 19 + Virgo, but slowing down for its next Rx cycle, which begins on August 23, 2023 at 21+ Virgo. Mercury is strong here. Use the three week timeframe to reflect; there is much to be learned.
Venus refines, evaluates, and strives to make ideals real. Her cycle is complex and mysterious, beginning while Retrograde as an Evening Star, moving through conjunctions with the Sun, and shifting from Evening Star to Morning Star, and back. This cycle recalibrates Venus' relationship to the Sun. As an Evening Star--calm, mature, settled, and knowing her own brilliance--at this New Moon, Venus is Rx at 18 + Leo. Venus is the social healer, bringing grace, tolerance, and caring to the task. During her 40 Rx period, Venus assesses where she can do her best work. She will turn Direct on September 3 at 12+ Leo.
Mars is the warrior on a mission, with energy that can pierce and penetrate in swift motion. At this New Moon, Mars is Direct at 22+ Virgo, approaching an opposition to Neptune. While he clamors against the critical eye of Virgo, he does enjoy having work to do, and even more so when magnetized by inspiration. Changing course is to be expected, as Mars does not appreciate confusion or the dullness of boredom.
Jupiter is the wise guru, the planet of expansion. Jupiter has the big picture, and functions best as a problem solver, planner, project manager. Jupiter has the vision and wants to take the leaps needed to create something big and wonderful. Jupiter is Direct, full throttle, in the solid sign of Taurus. Here, Jupiter works through Venus, so her Rx period will give Jupiter a new perspective on values, in preparation for his meet up with Uranus in April of 2024. There is expansive grace to the Jupiter-Venus dance: when Venus turns Direct in September, closing in on a square to Jupiter, Jupiter will turn Rx.
Saturn is the planet that sets limitations and boundaries, while insisting on karmic payback. Saturn relates to time, records, the destiny of earth experience. Often presenting the difficult lessons, Saturn's gift brings essence and structural solidity. At this New Moon, Saturn is Rx at 4 + Pisces. Here, Saturn offers a challenge: to stand with heart open in compassion and empathy for the next 2.5 years, without rescuing, fixing, saving, or setting anyone straight. No persecution or victimization allowed, but kindness furthers. Saturn's reminders are everywhere.
CHIRON, URANUS, NEPTUNE, PLUTO, THE LUNAR NODES
Representing the archetype of the Wounded Healer, Chiron is a minor planet/comet/dwarf planet located between the orbits of Saturn and Uranus. Sometimes representing audacious attempts, pushing forward despite the wounds, it forms a bridge between the Chaldean limits represented by Saturn and the transpersonal realm represented by Uranus. Chiron has a 50 year eccentric orbit and is currently Rx at 19+ Aries. Strengthening the self through holistic healing is the focus at this time.
The outer planets push us toward the transpersonal and provide a collective container for the development of consciousness. The twists and turns of these bodies facilitate our evolution, sometimes disturbing peace of mind. Uranus, the Awakener, transforms. Uranus entered the sign of Taurus in March, 2019, and will remain there for the next 7 years, clarifying security, practicality, resources, and values. Uranus provides energy to break traditions and calibrate revolutionary ideas. Technology continues to amaze, and is becoming more practical, and therefore seen as necessary, as potential brilliance is being grounded and brought to Earth. What are the criteria? Yes, we can do so much with it, but should we? At this New Moon, Uranus is Direct at 23 Taurus. Uranus will begin a 4 month Rx period on August 28, turning Direct again on January 27, 2024. The Rx recover path is 23-19 degrees Taurus.
Nebulous Neptune transcends, bringing the vicissitudes of the tides forward to be dissolved. Neptune is diving further into the oceanic fog where the gems of spiritual truths can surface. Neptune's ethereal nature continues to deliver the surreal dreamlike kaleidoscope of the shifting reality. At this New Moon, Neptune is Rx at 27+ Pisces. Neptune's 6 month retrograde period ends on December 6. The Rx recovery path is 27-24 Pisces.
Unequivocal Pluto aligns with the principle of metamorphosis. Small but mighty, this Dwarf Planet has been steamrolling the reality we once knew. His travel over the Rx recovery path has been long and arduous, with world-wide implications. Pluto made three contacts with the US Pluto (27 CP 32 Rx) in 2022: February 20: the Russian attack on Ukraine; July 11: worldwide economic stress; and Dec. 28, 2022: the need for an ending. But the ending seems to be nowhere in sight, with the Rx natal placement coupled with the late degree. A brief relief was felt when Pluto moved into Aquarius in March, 2023, but his Rx turn back into Capricorn in June, 2023 quickly put that to rest. Traveling again to the edge of the recovery path, Pluto will turn Direct at 27 CP 53 on October 10, 2023 to move through the last 3 degrees of Capricorn and back into Aquarius in January 2024. What actions/actors on the world stage will be highlighted? Relief is felt again, with the show over, seemingly, as Pluto moves up to 2 degrees Aquarius. But on May 1, 2024, relentlessly, Pluto turns Rx one final time at this critical juncture. Pluto travels backwards, to reach the half-way mark of the 29 anaretic degree of Capricorn. Anaretic degrees portend an extreme outcome, often of a destructive nature, for karmic completion. Capricorn's anaretic 29 degree is one of collecting, as in a debt. Pluto turns Direct then, on October 11, 2024, to move finally and solidly into Aquarius on November 20, 2024, a year from now. At this New Moon, Pluto is Rx at 28+ Capricorn, in the Rx recovery path of 3 Aquarius-27 Capricorn.
The transiting Lunar Nodes, representing the dragon's head and tail, travel backwards through the Zodiac and function in polarity. Rudhyar described the nodal line as a fateful, destined space. At this new Moon, the Nodal Axis has shifted into the Aries-Libra polarity. NNode is at 26 + Aries; SNode is at 26+ Libra.
OTHER DWARF PLANETS
Ceres, associated with fertility and agriculture, is located in the Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter. With an orbit of 4.6 years, Ceres is currently Direct at 18+ Libra. Lying in the Kuiper Belt as a TransNeptunian Object, Eris, with her 559 year orbit around the Sun, is associated with the strife and discord that emerges in the quest for justice, activating the sentiment of resistance to exclusion. Eris is currently Rx at 25+ Aries, soon to be met by the Nodal Axis. Eris will move into Taurus in 2044. Another TransNeptunian Object, Sedna orbits the Sun in 11,408 years, and is associated with evolutionary consciousness. Sedna moved into Gemini on June 16, 2023, and will turn Rx back into Taurus in November. Sedna is currently Direct at 0+ Gemini. A new blend of hands-on curiosity is in the offing, along with a clear shift in communication style and capacity.
