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Jupiter in Libra til next September

—I drew that masterpiece with Jupiter in Libra artistic powers! 🙂

Jupiter is the planet of expansion and luck, called the Great Benefic. Related to philosophy and the pursuit of knowledge, Jupiter also carries with it a sense of justice. One of the generational planets, it spends about a year in each sign, affecting you by relation to other planets in your chart. Otherwise, it impacts those born around the same year as you collectively. Where it lands in your birth chart will show where you want to grow in this life, and can also indicate where you will receive opportunities and help.

Libra is the cardinal air sign, the first of the southern hemisphere (the top of the chart). The first six signs are related to personal development, and Libra is where we begin to consider others. Its totem is the only inanimate object of the zodiac, the Scales. Libra seeks to find balance-within and without. They are tactful peacekeepers on a high vibe and shameless shit-stirrers on the low, disrupting natural balances. They can be indecisive, not knowing the best course of action because they can get carried away in everyone else’s viewpoint. Being ruled by Venus, Libra’s external locus gives much importance to aesthetics. Creative energies are cultivated in earlier signs, but artistic means and expression really take off in the sign of Libra. This sign is like the light, shining on the surface of all things, and what is revealed and experienced in that seeing. This can create a form-over-function mentality in a Libra-heavy chart, as deeper probing and understanding, the real digging into dark, scary corners, are handled by the following sign of Scorpio.

Jupiter entered Libra last Friday and will be in the sign until September 11 of next year. This means that the qualities of Libra will experience expansion and growth over the next year, and the areas of your chart that Libra flows through is where you can expect to see those qualities blossom. We’ve been working on ourselves really hard the last six years under the supportive guidance of Jupiter thru Aries to Virgo. Now our relationships are going to benefit from that same nourishment. We might also experience a more profound connection to the arts and creative expression. This next year makes the Venus-ruled light of Libra shine like nothing else, and we will feel inclined to share the bounty of these blessings with the people in our life. We will be compelled to find the MOST BALANCE.

So this isn’t about people we see every day on our commute or at work, nor is it about the networks of friends or social groups with which we connect. This year is all about the one-on-one relationships in our lives. Libra is the natural ruler of the 7th house: The Other or what I Am Not, and Partnerships. Interestingly, the 7th is also the house of Open Enemies. This next year we will find our focus on trying to balance the people in our lives. This goes two ways, because the people in our lives will also be focusing on trying to balance with us. This is a great time to work on those relationships because both you and your partner will endeavor to come from a place of understanding. During this next year, we might find people helping us for no apparent reason and we might find that we can bring a special kind of medicine to others as well. The last time Jupiter was in Libra, I was in school and made friends and connections that I still keep in touch with to this day. We might find a bunch of new people coming into our life, and that’s awesome! We will feel able to balance what they bring to the table, and they will want to do the same. Conversely, if you have an epic beef, this year might help you confront those crazies and get everything out in the open. Fortunately, under Jupiter we will feel less inclined to go there (at least until he goes thru Scorpio:). You might be seeing the people in your life in a new light, and they will be seeing and assessing you, too. The focus on the balance elements of Libra are a guide here. Hopefully, we really spend this time getting in tune with each other.

Jupiter in Libra will draw awareness to the pleasure derived in beautiful things. Our sense of aesthetics will be very heightened during this time. We’ll have a renewed appreciation for storytelling, visual and performing arts, music, anything that appeals to the senses. Our desire to share things we might have created in such an endeavor will be greater as well. This is a perfect year to learn that guitar you always wanted to get into, to try that painting class you were nervous about, or to get into writing that next literary classic (like this blog right here:). You’ll have no shortage of inspiration while Jupiter is in this sign. The problem with this might be that old Libra indecision, doubting your creative impulses. Don’t! Just grow and create and allow Jupiter to do his magic. Or, we might feel like what we created isn’t as good as we imagined, our aesthetics might be so sharp now that we can’t live up to the vision in our heads. Again, Jupiter is trying to get us to grow, and sometimes that expansion is painful. But the rose couldn’t bloom if it stayed in its bud, you know? Trust the growth process and don’t be afraid to share, or to ask for help! This is such a brilliant placement for artists and creative-types. If that’s not you, it’s amazing still to get new ideas flowing. Libra is an air sign, having to do with mental energies and intellect. The ideas will be fairly bursting to get out during this time. Trust them and talk it out! You’ll never be better supported by others to bring those visions to life than this year. And the visions you have are so lovely. Share them.

Another thing I’m thinking about with this transit, is that because everyone experiencing a new blooming in their relationships, and those developments being expressed artistically all over, we will be inclined to share. A lot. We will be sharing all over the damn place. A lot of times with this sharing we will encounter ideas that don’t jive with us, but we will be in a place to really understand what seemed foreign to us before. And because Jupiter is strongly tied to ideas of social justice and equality, in this sign it will give a lot of people a lot of perspectives that they hadn’t stepped into and tried on before. I had a friend recently post about “social justice fatigue” on the fb, and I have to say we’re only at the beginning. This next year will highlight these kinds of issues, and I think a lot of the growth of this transit comes from how much talking we’re all going to be doing over the next year. We will all be seeing each other in a new light. It is my hope that our online and real life encounters over the next year will utilize this Libra Jupiter energy, and rather than fight to be right in these kinds of discussions we will truly hear what is being said to us and emerge with fresh ears to hear. Justice is a theme of this next year, and we will feel it personally and collectively. If it is unjust for any, it is unjust for all. This won’t be the year about people remaining silent and by default choosing the side of the oppressor. This is the year for us all to speak truth to power, for we truly have what is just and what is right on our minds. Bring it.

Overall, this transit will compel us to find balance and we will then find luck when do. Where this is located in your chart will indicate where you are seeking this balance. My friend and I were just talking as this begins in both of our sixth houses about work-life balance, and I just gotta soak up those lovely aesthetic vibes this morning! 😉

Go get em!

Cheers,

Will

P.s. There’s probably a bit of SEXTROLOGY by Starsky and cox in this here post.

P.p.s. used my ephemeris (and probably Shawn’s) to calculate some folks that are going to have a lot of growth this year, for some reason. Research nerd. Went back to the beginning of the last century, just in case there are centenarian readers out there.

Those who have Jupiter in Libra in their natal chart will be having a great time with their Jupiter Return! Only happens every 12 years. Expanding and blessing what are already your own magic powers:) Also coming back to the lessons Jupiter has to teach you from the time you were born. Those years are:

10/12/1909-11/12/1910

9/26/21-10/27/22

9/11/33-10/12/34

8/26/45-9/26/46 (Peace? Justice?)

12/14/56-2/19/57 and 8/8/57-1/14/58 and 3/21/58-9/8/58 (Jupiter’s normal retrograde cycle went over the cusp of other signs this time, and again in…)

11/16/68-3/31/69 and 7/16/69-12/17/69 and 5/1/70-8/16/70

9/22/80-11/28/81

10/11/92-11/10/93

9/26/04-10/27/05

If that’s you, we’ll done! You did it.

P.p.p.s. It is my warning now that any secrets, lies, indiscretions, etc. that you indulge in at this time WILL COME BACK TO YOU during the next year of Jupiter in Scorpio. The skeletons are all going to be dug out of the closet after this, so spend this buoyant year cleaning out that closet if you need to do so. The truth WILL come out, so trying to hide anything at this time will only dig you into a deeper hole. Snoochie boochies.

2

Mercury Retrograde in Virgo 8/30-9/21

Oh hey,

It’s that very special time again! Mercury Retrograde is upon us. Mercury, the planet of communication, intellect, and expression has been in its home sign of Virgo since July 31. When a planet is in its domicile, it has full use of its faculties and full access to its powers. Mercury also rules the sign of Gemini, where it loves to talk and kick ideas around. In Gemini, Mercury is fast and flighty, making sure it’s up to date with the latest news and gossip. In the sign of Virgo, that energy changes. In Virgo, Mercury is slower, more methodical, and takes care to integrate and implement the ideas generated in Gemini with the deep feeling of Cancer and the burning pride of Leo. For me, Gemini Mercury gives great ideas and Virgo Mercury makes that shit happen.

Since Mercury has been in Virgo since the end of July, we might have noticed a lot of hard work getting done in the month of August. Did I mention I built a fence? Virgo Mercury is awesome with the details. Under this influence, reasoning and research are paramount, and because of this approach, it’s an excellent time for planning and organizing, getting all the ducks in all the rows. I just have to say right now that math IS important, and I DO use it in real life. Fuck what the haters say! Had I not mathed out and planned ahead, my fence venture might have ended in tears. This Virgo Mercury lends itself to mental prep, going over every possible outcome. Under this influence, we aim for precision and perfection. I really like how Aepril of Aepril’s Astrology puts it: the keyword of Virgo is INTEGRATION, having to do with making oneself whole, putting all the pieces together. Something else Virgo is great at, working with their hands to create a new whole.

Similarly to the influence of the concurrent Venus in Virgo, something that might happen is a lot of worrying about all those details. We might have a lot of critical self-talk. Because our minds are so focused on manifesting our great ideas, we might lose the forest for the trees a bit during this time. It’s important to take a step back and realize how far we’ve come while getting down and dirty with the minutiae.

We have an awesome kickoff to this retrograde with the conjunction, or joining, of Mercury with Venus and Jupiter on August 28. This will help us with ease of accomplishment after the crisis of the Mars/Saturn conjunction over the last few weeks. The blessing of all these benefic planets in the same place, between 27-28° Virgo, will bring our attention to our wellbeing and healthy habits, which is excellent before the Virgo New Moon. Jupiter is expanding and blessing, Mercury is handling all the things, and Venus is helping us enjoy our senses and the things we find pleasurable, and all of this in the sign where we can make anything into physical reality. So let’s make it happen over this weekend, and have a good time doing it!

Now for the Retrograde. A Retrograde occurs when a planet seems to move backward in the sky. It doesn’t actually change direction, but its orbit relative to the earth makes it seem like it is. When this occurs, the expression of the planet’s energy changes. It goes inward, because during a retrograde, that planet is actually closer to the earth. When we go through a retrograde period, that planet goes over the same portion of the zodiac three times. It slows and stops (called stationing), backs up and stations again, then moves forward (or direct). The area it backs up over is called the shadow zone, and we feel the effects of the retrograde from the time the planet enters the shadow zone to the time it leaves.

This spring’s rx was in the first earth sign of Taurus. It had to do with self-worth, really going over if what we were manifesting lined up with our core values. This retrograde, again from Aug 30-Sep 21, is in the second earth sign of Virgo. So the things we are reevaluating here are similar, but it’s not so much about how secure we feel. This retrograde is a revaluation of how we do the things we do. We will be going over how our routines and schedules are helping our hindering us. We’ll be deciding if the way we work is working for us. Not only does this feel right and align with me, but am I doing it the right way? Am I accomplishing what I need to in a way that is efficient and continuing to work for me?

During the last retrograde in fixed sign Taurus, folks seemed stubborn and it felt like any challenge was an assault on our very foundations. This Virgo Mercury Retrograde will be a bit different, not quite so intransigent. The mutable, or changeable, quality of Virgo will allow Mercury the room it needs to breathe. It’ll allow Mercury to change its mind when new information is presented. Though it is a period of going over our intellectual processes, during this retrograde I feel like our minds will be able to process and focus on the details. We’ll be much sharper, possibly much more critical subsequently. During this time, our minds will be on Virgo issues. We might be reevaluating our diet and exercise regimes. We might be reevaluating our jobs and how we interact with our co-workers. Our schedules and how we manage them will come up, and if it’s not helping you, this would be the most excellent time to reevaluate.

There’s always a bit of miscommunication during Mercury Retrograde, but I think we’ll be more apt to think before we speak this time. Again, a danger here is that we might be so hyper aware of the little things that people might be bothering us because they can’t possibly live up to the vision we can see. Basically, what I’m saying is be aware of critiquing others during this time, we might be brutal without realizing it. The biggest communication problem during this rx might be a tendency toward perfectionism with a sharp tongue.

Hope you have an awesome September! This is a great time to make sure things are working the way you want them. Go get em:)

Cheers,

Will

P.s. used LLEWELLYN’S again, as well as my ephemeris. Used the Buddha Board at the Golden Braid Bookstore to paint this graphic.

Check us out in SLC or at goldenbraidbooks.com!

7

Full Moon in Aquarius 8/18 – OR, in which I built a fence

Hi there,

Bit late posting because I’ve been so very busy with these Leo new noon intentions. The August full moon, called the Red or Sturgeon Moon, happened at the end of 25° Aquarius at like 1 AM MST or something on Thursday.

The duality of Leo/Aquarius is best expressed, in my opinion, as the balance between personal power and people power. Leo is about personal creativity and expression, Aquarius is about maintaining that individuality within group dynamics and finding functionality as a whole. Leo is passionate and takes things personally, Aquarius is detached and seems at times not to be affected. They are opposite energies, but we couldn’t exist without both.

The moon in Aquarius gives us flashes of insight into the future. People with this moon placement in their charts have a very high intellectual capacity that is connected to their emotions. Aquarius’ cool detachment gives the moon a chance to breathe, but also to care about people on a larger scale. Humanitarian is the word for this natal placement.

This Leo moon cycle is about new heart impulses, new ways to find enjoyment and pleasure in life’s little moments and then creating those moments for yourself. This full moon plays into that by providing the interaction with humanity at large to establish what is your personal kingdom and how does that fit in with everyone else’s.

On a personal note, Saturday is my birthday! It’s been my intention since the Cancer new moon to have some house projects done, and especially this lunation, to have this yard finished and have a house party to celebrate this Leo ass. Full moons are strongest for about three days, so I think this fit in perfectly with my desire to establish my yard (Leo “kingdom” lol) and then have everyone over to enjoy it (Aquarius “people”).

Some interesting facets of this last week or so has been the conjunction of Mars and Saturn in Sag. The real pressure is on next week, as I wrote before, but the tensions have been steaming for the last week or two. Mars is drive and Saturn is restriction. Since the clock has been ticking, my intensity in completing the project has intensified. Saturn is coming in with the reality check of time and space and materials, while Mars (my ruling planet) has been ram-hammering those restrictions with relentless force. Ask anyone who’s been involved, and they will tell you that I’ve been pushy and bossy and quote possibly bitchy. I, however, will tell you how much stuff got done that wouldn’t have otherwise.

It’s interesting to me that Sag is foreign countries and the ‘other,’ while Saturn is physical boundaries and structures, all fired up by Mars’ initiative energy. This is kind of the perfect time to rebuild that fence that fell down years ago. The energy and the structure are there. If you haven’t been similarly using the tension of this aspect, you might be feeling trapped or constrained. I’m not saying I’m amazing or whatever, because trust me, unrelenting rage has also been a large part of the physical exertion of this fence. In fact, no one has been safe. The vicious takedowns have been real, including yelling a a neighbor’s guest who was trying to bullshit around while I was cutting lumber. Like, going OFF. 

So before I try to pass of my bad behavior as destined by the stars any more, I’ll reinforce the idea that this new heart place we’re working on is our kingdom. It’s a new kingdom, populated by new people. I feel as though the Aquarian energy of this full moon is people running into each other with this whole new heart mojo. Does my energy fit with these people or groups of people anymore? Are my creations and contributions crucial to my teams successes and failures? Are my personal impulses and drives being recognized and honored by the group? I think a lot of the tensions in this very energetic time have to do with realigning yourself with those friends and groups of people with whom you relate. You are feeling new, I know I am. You might not feel like you align with old habits and ways of doing things. This full moon gives us the opportunity to check ourselves. 

So it’s been an intense summer. I’m very much looking forward to celebrating my birthday and gathering, expressing the fun and harmony that this Full Moon can give. If you’re around, come play on Saturday! I promise I’ll have my wrath under control by then.

But by then, I’ll have a cute yard, too;)

Go out there and get it done!

Cheers,

Will

P.s. used my ephemeris as well as THE ONLY ASTROLOGY BOOK YOU’LL EVER NEED.

P.p.s. please to enjoy this fence! Hollaaaaaa. Also this lovely photo of the Aquarius Full Moon by my buddy Anthony:

FB_IMG_1471625414546

1

Mars in Sagittarius 8/3-9/28

Hello hello,

Mars, the fiery god of war, moved into expansive Sagittarius at the beginning of August. Mars has to do with willpower, chanelling the will outward to meet challenges and face foes. It’s glyph is the male symbol, and it’s the masculine or directive energy. We’ll have a great deal of energy and drive where Mars is in our chart. Mars shows us our physical strength and stamina, where energy is directed, what motivates you. I think of it as “fight, flight, or f#<!.” Mars feels great in the mutable fire sign of Sag, especially after all these months spent in deep, dark, repressive, watery Scorpio. Sag has to do with freedom and following your higher truth, philosophies and ideals, what is outside our borders, and the lifelong search for knowledge. Sag always wants the most life had to offer, and doesn’t like being fenced in. This works out great for Mars, who just mostly does what he wants anyway.

This energy is a lot of fun! We’ll feel great as the month is starting, like we’re finally gaining some momentum. Things that are novel and adventurous will have a fresh pull on our attention, and we’ll go after our freedom with enthusiasm and excitement. This fire might have us feeling full of energy, we might seek different kinds of physical and mental challenges, and even be a bit more competitive. Our optimism might have a lot of ideas flying around, like we can do ANYTHING. The follow thru might be harder to come by because we might keep being swept away by all the fun we’re having. However, this Mars fire also ignites Sag’s heightened principles, and we might be unwavering if something crosses our sense of ethics. This is awesome, and it is needed. I think the idea is to honor that others are also seeking their higher truth, and maybe use the mutable quality of Sag to reach understanding when dealing with conflicts at this time.

We will feel a need for freedom while Mars passes through Sag, whether it’s a vacation or just needing to set our own schedules. We’ll want to see what’s out there, and won’t feel pleased to be overly obligated. Our creative drives will be strong, and we’ll want to DO more than TALK (Mercury Retrograde at the beginning of Sep will test this a LOT). We might be travelling or somehow in new environments, being introduced to new ways of thinking. A lot of ideas might be flying around at this time, and this is the energy to explore them.

So. The crazy stuff now. The official end of the Mars Retrograde period will be when he hits 8° Sag on 8/21. A lot of the issues we’ve been dealing with since he entered the shadow zone in February will be resolved or coming to a close. Good news, right! Well…

Saturn will be at 9° Sag at that time, and will conjunct, or merge, with Mars through the 26th. Saturn is the karmic debt overlord. He is always around to make sure we’ve learned our lessons and developed the structures we need to build in our lives. When we learn Saturn lessons, it pays off for us. When we don’t, we hate it. Saturn was considered a malefic in classical astrology. We know he’s there to help us now, but no one doesn’t think he’s a hard ass. He’s been in Sag since last year, testing our ideas about foreign countries and the way we approach justice and truth philosophically (sound familiar?). The blending of these two forces, right as Mars is exiting the shadow zone, will test us in a dramatic way on all the lessons we’ve been learning since February. Does that way of thinking really work for me? Are these steps I’m taking toward my own higher truth and independence really working for my life? Are the ways I’m exerting my energy toward and thinking about the world at large in line with the Universe (Saturn square Neptune influence-is this Idea I have in line with the Spirit?)?

It’ll feel pretty jarring after how easily the beginning of the month flows. Suddenly there’s a quiz on what we thought we were wrapping up! It won’t be fun. The pressure will be on, and we’ll want to fly off to get away from it all. But Saturn will keep restricting our will, we will have to face our choices and what we’ve been working through.

Because Sagittarius has to deal with foreign countries, I’m honestly worried about the conjunction of these planets here because I feel like the propensity for violence is great during this time. Be very careful, bring peace with you wherever you are. Tensions will be high.

However! Two shorter periods during this time will be a help to us. Mars will be trine the moon on August 30, right as Mercury Rx starts, so I think we’ll be feeling good and able to help others feel the warmth right as the wackiness begins. The other beneficial moon day is September 10, when it conjuncts Mars in Sag. We’ll really feel in tune that day, able to see from an elevated perspective.

Also, from 9/15-9/20, Mars trines Uranus in Mars’ home sign of Aries. We’ll be zapped with inspiration during this time. We’ll have sudden insights and coming out of Mercury Rx, we’ll feel a drive to make constructive changes. Especially after the Saturn conjunction, this energy will be very welcome. As Mars moves out of the sign of Sag we’ll look back on this year and realize all the stuff that’s happened and all the things we’ve been thinking about. We should be in higher alignment and having a clearer vision of how to shape the future.

Hope this time treats you well! Use that warrior spirit wisely:)

Cheers,

Will

 

P.s. Used LLEWELLYN’S… by Riske again.

Used my same ephemeris.

Painted the image with the Buddha Board we have at Golden Braid Books. It’s everything.

Goldenbraidbooks.com

Buddhaboards.com

2

Venus in Virgo 8/6-8/31

Venus shifts into Virgo today through the end of the month. Venus is the goddess of love and attraction. She is called a benefic because she gives grace and ease through whatever sign she passes. It’s the feminine part of our nature, what is receptive. Venus loves beautiful surroundings and softens what she touches.

The sign of Virgo is a mutable sign, the second of the earth signs. She blends the qualities of Cancer and Leo, and this gives a great deal of discernment as the Mother and Father energies must make compromises. Virgo also relates to our health and habits, the way we deliberately (ooooor not) honor our self-care through diet, exercise and physical maintenance. Service also falls under the sign of Virgo, the way we work day to day, how we deal with co-workers, etc. Virgo is good with the hands, using them in work with a eye for detail that is lost on most signs.

During this transit, self-care is very important. We will have an awareness of our bodies and might take steps toward a new health and beauty regimen. We might also be feeling an ease of pressure in the workplace, like it’s easier to get things done, or the general mood lighter. Venus also blesses the pocketbook in the earth or work signs. We might notice gains because of the details we are attracting right now. Earning potential is increased. Usually tedious work might seem a little more manageable, again, even helpful or in some way beneficial. Though these things might flow we will feel very practical in spending, that Virgo discernment doesn’t let Venus therapy shop.

Venus in the sign who’s motto is “I analyze” means that a mental connection is absolutely necessary to reach our affections. If someone isn’t on your intellectual level, you might use that Virgo discrimination to be more choosy about with whom you share your time. Your emotions will be in tune with your thoughts, you’ll feel better when you can express the things you see.

The blending of these energies is very nuanced. Venus is in fall, or in her weakened state, in Virgo. Venus is receptive, Virgo is productive. Virgo’s exactness is foreign to Venus, the specificity of the energy isn’t as soft and dreamy as she is accustomed. During this month we might be really aware of tiny flaws, our eye might be distracted from the overall beauty by little things that we can’t overlook. This very morning, for instance, my awesome brother went to get me some coffee. When he came back, my first response wasn’t to thank him for his kind, loving service (also Venus in Virgo). My first reaction was to ask why it wasn’t all the way full, it seemed light. I went right for the little problem. We might have our eye on the imperfections while Venus’ aesthetic moves through the detailed sign of Virgo.

This transit also gives very high expectations about love and romance. If someone had this position in their birth chart, they might be extremely critical of partners, as Venus also shows how we interact with others. So this time might show us a lot of flaws, what are you going to focus that laser-beam-hawkeye vision on? The loving act of service or the slight flaw? During this time, the predilection is to express the latter. Now that you know, maybe you can focus on all the many good things, right?

At the end of the month, August 28, Venus joins Mercury and Jupiter at 27-28° Virgo. These three planets get along famously. Jupiter is the great benefic and Venus the lesser, he expands and gives luck and says YAAAAS, while she softens and nurtures and brings in what she needs. This expansion and attraction join forces with the intellect and expression to really blow up our work and wallets, blessing good health and harmony if we take advantage. It might be a really passive kind of energy that doesn’t do anything if we don’t activate it. There will be lots of talking, around work and the health of the body. Listen and say your peace, you’ll have researched your position ahead of time, anyway. This time will happen right after Mars passes over Saturn around the 23rd, so I think it will be a nice breath of fresh air from that madness.

So! Good, productive time if we can handle working with the details.

Thanks so much for checking out my blog!

Cheers,

Will

 

Used LLEWELLYN’S COMPLETE BOOK OF ASTROLOGY by Kris Brandt Riske, MA;

My same Ephemeris that I usually use;

And lots of my own rambling.

ALSO!  I painted the visual for this post on the Buddha Board at the Golden Braid in SLC. You can pick one up here, at goldenbraidbooks.com, or on their website: buddhaboards.com. I’M OBSESSED.

1

New Moon in Leo and Year One: Check

Hi everyone,

Thanks so much for joining me on this journey over the past year since I started doing readings:) So happy to be at the Golden Braid in SLC, can’t wait to see what happens next!

Here’s a video of me talking about the Leo New Moon!

EDITS: It’s not Venus and Mars conjunct, it’s Venus and MERCURY. So scrap what I said, this time will be sensual rather than overtly sexual. We will want to communicate in a detailed way the beautiful things we are attracting in terms of creativity and recreation. Then with the trine to Uranus in Aries, that energy is electrified and we’re able to tap into innovation, the future almost reaches out through creative endeavors. We will want to gracefully speak on the insights and inspirations we are having.

Venus and Mercury are actually square Mars, but as Mars moves out of Scorpio, I think the conversation with Uranus will help us through any tensions that might arise. We might feel some friction, but we’ll have another kind of understanding that will lead the way.

Something I also forgot to mention is that there are no air signs activated, like the last full moon. Air energy is mental and intellectual and has everything to do with communication. Keeping the windows open to let some fresh air in will be needed. Like, it’s great to have other perspectives, but I think that the kinds of fires being lit and fueled right now go beyond words. This lunation, for me, is about experiencing rather than analyzing, doing rather than planning, feeling rather than thinking. There are things that are intuitive, and this time is very personal. Trust your inner voice and follow your creative spark. Talk less, do more.

Again, thank you profusely for your support! Like my page on FB, subscribe to my YouTube channel, and check us out at goldenbraidbooks.com!

Setting forward an intention as I go into my second year, I’m thinking about the end of Jupiter in Virgo transit: working on the details and generating more content, more consistently. Stay tuned for planetary transit updates, natal chart position breakdowns, and the continuation of the houses and moon cycle discussions. If there’s anything in particular you’d be interested in hearing about, let me know in the comments or on FB. Excited to move forward!

Cheers,

Will

1

New Moon in Cancer

Hi everybody:)

The new moon is on the 4th of July (Independence Day or Excessive Fireworks Party in the US:) at 4.03am MST. This is a powerful new moon because the Moon will be joining the Sun at 12° her home sign of Cancer. This is the sign of the Mother, the feminine source of life from which all life springs and is nurtured. Its element is water, and is the second cardinal sign. This marks a new quadrant in the zodiac, where the soul begins and we start feeling things deeply (the first three signs deal with the physical realm, the next three emotional, the next three mental, and the last three spiritual). Cancer is the seat of the soul as it were.

The Cardinal quality of the sign gives Cancer the ability to initiate energy and activity by the force of their emotions. Its connection to the moon makes this energy ebb and flow like the tides. The tidal flow as well as the currents of the river to the sea are the most apt analogies for Cancer energy. Cancer women, especially, are cosmically tied to this energy and indeed, their emotional tides are the water and waves. The men aren’t the waves in the literal sense the women are, they are riding the waves. It’s important for Cancer people to learn their flows, and in time they will be able to harness these changes. As young people, the emotions they so strongly feel can be overwhelming. When they are excited, they have a hard time CONTROLLING THE VOLUME OF THEIR VOICE. They have infectious moods and can feel other people like reading a book.

Cancer rules over the breasts (Mother, remember?) as well as the stomach. Many Cancerians have deep feelings and intuitions, and I always trust the gut reaction of those folks in my life. Its animal totem is the side-stepping Crab, and like their symbol, these folks can be very indirect in their approach. Also like the Crab, they can cling with tenacity to those things they love, like none of the rest of us can understand love. Security is a keyword with Cancer, in the sometimes harsh tides of life they seek to find a safe place where they won’t be tossed around by the waves. They carry their home on their backs (can be HUGE hoarders…like, I love y’all but COME ON), and can withdraw if they feel at all threatened (they often do, and can be fantastic hermits). The motto of the sign is “I FEEL,” and no one can do that like them. Their physical health is directly tied to their emotional health, if they feel depressed or frazzled they can and generally will quickly become sickly. They seek to nurture because they can understand, they seek nurturing from the churning tides.

So! The new moon is the time to lay low, rest and restore, make plans to be enacted as the moon waxes. This time is when the emotional place has no light from the sun, we are at our most raw and primal. Our emotional energies are subconscious, under the surface in the world below. The Moon here in her own sign feels at home, our emotional impulses will be strong, almost overwhelmingly so. Depending on your chart, this could trigger dreams or psychic impressions. I think it’s a good idea to realize the emotions that will be flowing are doing as they’re meant to, we might not understand our own motivations and deeply felt reactions consciously til later. Trust your feelings as the moon is dark, this is your subconscious speaking to you in a much stronger way than at other new moons. People might be dramatic af, to be perfectly honest, but everyone is going to be vibing hard on these flowing feelings. An important element of this new moon is the retreat thing: go recharge your batteries, get all up in your feelings and let the tide wash over you.

Goals and meditations during this time are connected to emotions, your past, your parents-especially your mom, your home, and your own private emotions. Cancer’s ties to the 4th house make everything very deeply felt and personal. People might not get all up in your shell, and you might not wanna come outta there. That’s OK. Because this, like my hilarious Cancer friend jokes in v public situations, “IS PRIVATE.” There will also be a juicy trine to Neptune in Pisces, the emotions will run deep and we’ll be primed to tune in to the Universal Frequency. More dreams and vibey psychic flows.

This new moon cycle is about the emotional drives, the search for security. By the time we get to the full moon, we’ll have to take concrete Capricorn action with all these touchy-feely vibes going on now. Soak up all the impressions and even the smallest feelings you experience now, they’ll help you in practical ways in a few weeks. It takes place in the 2nd decan, so it’s infused with Scorpio energy; according to Devore, the new moon will be nuanced by: “revelation, resourcefulness, energy; powerful emotions; the struggle with sex.”

Interesting features of this new moon! First of all, the Sun and Moon, Venus, and Mercury will ALL be opposition Pluto over there in Cap. There is a need to balance all these crazy feelings with the transformations we are all experiencing collectively. There might be power struggles if Pluto is pulling too hard, I’m thinking this might be work-related? Basically the pull from the security we’re v much aware of vs. our public obligations and transitions. We’re gonna be all up in our feelings, there might be friction.

The other balancing act I’ve mentioned in previous posts. It’s the opposition of Jupiter in Virgo and Neptune in Pisces. This is the dissolving of the subconscious into the Universe vs. the expanding day-to-day details we taking care of all the time. The pull between the soul-mind and the earth body. This opposition creates, with the Cancer/Capricorn opposition, what is called a Mystic Rectangle. That means that these two oppositions aren’t as tense or abrasive as say, the grand cross we just went through. It’s tighter angles, creating trines and sextiles that make the energy easier to deal with. There are flows easing the tensions, and helping to keep each extreme balanced. People with this aspect in their birth chart often have unusual gifts, insights, or viewpoints. So there’s a lot of craziness, but there’s also a lot helping us out during this new moon.

Trust your gut feelings and allow yourself to recharge and replenish during this time. Doing things will happen later, and you’ll have more insight if you’re rested and ready. Make a blanket fort and cry it out, alright? 😉

If you would like a personal reading, you can contact the folks at the Golden Braid in SLC, or at goldenbraidbooks.com to set up a time. We can meet in person or on the phone!

Good luck and godspeed,

Will

 

Thanks for the timely info:

http://www.calendar-365.com/moon/moon-phases.html

Also referenced my ephemeris, as well as the ancient Devore ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ASTROLOGY. Also checked some facts in SEXTROLOGY by Starsky and Cox.

Yoinked the moon image from rhythmofbeauty.co.uk. Thanks y’all!

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Mars Stations Direct 6/29

Making these images on my snapchat cracks me up. Awesome that they have the zodiac stickers tho!

Anyhoo, I’m finally getting around to discussing Mars Retrograde. This started all the way back in April, around the 17th, when Mars stationed retrograde around 8° Sagittarius (really though, it started in February when Mars passed 23° Scorpio and entered the shadow zone). Mars resubmerged into Scorpio around May 28. Since last Sunday, he’s been slowing waaaaaaaaaay down. The moment when he stops going back, or stations direct (fancy astrology terms, baby!) is coming up in a few days on June 29. This means Mars will be hovering around 23° Scorpio for over three weeks, finally moving forward again by July 11! At the beginning of August, we’ll get back into Sag and by the end of the month, we’ll have exited the shadow zone.

So what does it mean? Mars is our drive, will, passion, our outgoing energy to achieve our goals. Mars rules Aries, the Ram, the First, the “I Am.” Mars likes to do what it likes to do, and doesn’t like to be told no or to necessarily consider others; that’s more Mercury’s job, right? Well in fiery Sag, Mars loves it because it’s pushing for your higher truth, goals related to travel and expanding horizons. When the retro started, that Mars energy that usually goes out, became refocused inward. We started reevaluating what our truth was, if we were really heading in that direction. THEN, Mars went back into Scorpio.

Mars traditionally ruled over Scorpio as well as Aries, when Pluto was discovered that rulership changed. The personal will becomes enmeshed with those closest to us. Am I doing this because I want to or because you need to? The personal power of the will becomes diluted, and that can cause Mars to chafe. We might be more aware, if not resentful, of our close ones making demands of our energy.

I’ve talked about this in various other posts, but the overall effect of this year’s Mars Rx seems to be really going back and digging up secrets, figuring out who we are going to merge wills with and who we are not, how those connections work for us. Once we’ve investigated our way out of Scorpio, we’ll take the truths we learned there into the light of Sagittarius and decide our own path. This process over these almost eight months (Mars rarely goes retro, and usually moves through the signs muuuuuuch more quickly) has tested our will in close bonds. By the end of the summer (Northern Hemisphere), we will have much more clarity and focus in terms of what we want to do, and we’ll be less entangled as we have been.

Personally, what I’ve noticed as an Aries Ascendant is that I’ve felt markedly more relaxed than usual. I’m often running around from thing to thing so fast that there’s not a lot of time for reflection. During this Rx, I’ve felt less impulsive and hasty. I take things slower than my normal breakneck pace. Like it’s more important to relax and be safe than be anywhere on time-not that I haven’t been punctual, but unhurried, unrushed. Even in times of conflict, I noticed that my usual reaction to crush any and all opposition was not on the surface. I’ve also been a little listless. I have had drama with my close relationships, but I’ve noticed that I’m talking more than fighting, listening more than doing. It’s been restful while seeming like an eternity-I felt early on that if I tried hard to do something, the resistance was so great it made the task impossible; when I stopped doing the Mars TRYING so hard, things flowed a lot easier.

So these next two weeks will be v interesting. I’m wanting to see if we’re going a little stir-crazy by July 11. My prediction is that we’re gonna feel a bit stagnant by then, like what is happenniiiiiiiioooiing? But after that clears and we’re done with the 8-month event in August, our will shall be in time with our higher truth. We’ll have dug deep into our relationships and have a force of will looking globally outward.

Let me know what you think! Any stories to share about the Mars Rx experience?

Cheers,

Will

Lil quick reference:

-2/19-Mars enters shadow zone at 23° Scorpio. Mars reached 29° Scorpio around March 4ish, and was into 0° Sag around March 7.

-4/17-Mars stations retrograde at 8° Sag.

-5/28-Mars back into Scorpio at 29°.

-6/19-Mars reaches 23° Scorpio again. Going very slow, he’ll be at this degree until about July 11. That’s over 3 weeks of Mars in the same spot.

-6/29-Mars stations direct.

-8/3-Mars re-enters Sag at 0°.

-8/23-Mars reaches 9°, emerging from the shadow zone.

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Full Moon in Sagittarius Numbah Dos!

Heidy ho!

The SECOND full moon in Sag happens at 5.02am MST on Monday, June 20 (thanks zodiacarts.com for the timezone breakdown!). This is also called the Strawberry Moon, and was known in Europe as the Rose Moon or the Honey Moon (thanks almanac.com!). Much of what applies from my last post is still in effect, but the nuances are nuancier. A couple of key things are different, changing the tone. The last full moon was at 1° Sag, and this one is at 29.33°. The beginning of the sign and the last bit right before it becomes Capricorn. This suggests that we’ve made much headway on those Sag higher truth goals from the last full moon, but there is still work to be done to hone and perfect the energy. We still have to learn what is foreign, what is outside of our experience, we still need to follow our own higher truth. This full moon gives us extra fire to do so.

Last time, we were in Sun Taurus and Mercury was retrograde in that same sign. Mercury is now moving forward, and is even in it’s own sign of Gemini! Communication is flowing freely now, and isn’t so caught up in esteem issues.  The last moon cycle energy started in Taurus, and had to do with self-worth, values, standing on your own ground, and money. Then the first Sag full moon had to do with developing that self-worth into higher consciousness. This moon cycle happens in Gemini (the full moon JUST before the Sun shifts into Cancer), which means that the new moon and the full moon energies are tied into communication rather than what is solely yours. This time, the action taken on the full moon comes from your interactions with the people in your everyday environment. Your everyday exchanges (Gemini Sun) will be opposition your emotional awareness and duty to your higher calling (Sag Moon). Oppositions are either a tug of war or a perfect balance (all full moons are oppositions). Maybe you’ll feel compelled to get away from it all, take a trip or something. Maybe your everyday thing won’t be jiving right. Maybe you’ll feel surrounded by voices and opinions, and think, “None of that feels right.” This is the time to take action, the full moon, the intuitive/emotional nature illuminated by the light of the conscious Sun. What I’m saying is, you gotta do what you gotta do. Are your obligations working for you? Experiencing and hearing about plans falling thru, I’m not taking it personal, I’m conscious of everyone doing what they really need to do, regardless of my expectations. Examining expectations is definitely a Sag ideal, that sign ruling philosophies, religions, knowledge, etc. But! It’s communication that will open up this higher path. Gotta balance the Gemini and Sag energy. What do you engage (Gemini) and what do you let go (Sag, kinda)?

So the Grand Cross that the new moon in Gemini was a part of is reignited with Mercury’s current transit. I feel like maybe things are being talked about right now that happened during the new moon earlier this month? Mercury is opposition Saturn right now, so it’s a balancing act of communication and those grounding trials to that higher truth. This feels like a push/pull to me. We want to talk, but we’re pressed to follow our inner voice. We’re talking about what we felt before, maybe not feeling like we’re being heard? The new moon grand cross post, but put Mercury in for the new moon. Lolz. Do we feel like we can speak, or do we feel restricted by outside forces? Do we have something to say but hold our tongue because those hoes ain’t worth it? Things like this.

Something I’ll add on to this grand cross energy is that Jupiter is conjunct the North Node in Virgo trine Pluto in Capricorn. Jupiter is blessings and expansion, growing opportunities and the north node is soul destiny. Jupiter is also justice and harmony and all the good things, so there’s a feeling of the Virgo-detail energies being a big deal right now. Those day-to-day routines of service as well as self-care are a part of our destiny, the details are feeling important. Trine Pluto in Cap suggests that those energies will be practical and transformative. This can be huge for the bankroll, Jupiter expanding and Pluto(cracy) collecting those coins. This grand cross might not be fun, but the transformative energies seem to be for our benefit. Go there.

I haven’t done a post on Mars retrograde, but I’ve been sneaking it into these updates. Mars is still backing up through Scorpio until he stations direct again at the end of the month on the 29th. It’s only connection to this grand cross action is a quincunx (not directly across, but one sign over, unpredictable) to Uranus in Aries, and a trine (120°, most harmonious) to Chiron in Pisces. This feels like the will is hidden away, like maybe we’re not wanting to face things directly. With Mars being retrograde, as it’s the ruler of my chart, I’ve felt a distinct lack of motivation, maybe why I never got around to doing a full-fledged post. Like…I don’t wanna. Hahaha. It feels like charging in full force isn’t working, so let’s wait and see what happens. The thing about it right now is, this underground approach is low-key healing because of Chiron, the will and the wounded healer vibing out. And the connection to Uranus gives unpredictable, explosive insight to the will. This could be moments of breakthrough, but also moments of breakdown. With Mars retrograde, the will is redirected inward. In the sign of Scorpio, Mars is subdued by the will of the close, bonded relationships in your life. An uncomfortable element of this could be feeling stifled in your unions (lots of breakups during this Mercury and Mars retro). The will is directed inward, is bound by the needs and desires of others (hint, doesn’t like to be), and all that energy is digging up all the skeletons in all the closets. Mars is going back and digging up at the Scorpio secrets, but right now is given healing by Chiron (though it can hurt) and unpredictable surges of energy by Uranus. Lay low! Heal and vibe out. The craziness of the grand cross is happening around you, you don’t need to approach any of that mess directly. And with the full moon theme, if that mess ain’t working for you, it’s time to clean house. Scorpio is where the secrets get unearthed, Sagittarius is where we look at them, informed, in the bright fiery light of day. This Mars retrograde for me, personally, has felt a bit like the end of my Saturn return last summer: thinking about letting go of what is not mine, etc. It’s been a trip.

The OTHER crazy thing about this full moon is that the summer solstice happens the same day! The Sun moves into Cancer around 4.30pm MST. This is a rare event to have the full moon and the solstice and won’t happen again for decades. It will be the longest day of the year, so we will have extra time to soak up all that fire before we get onto watery Cancer summertime:) This Monday is a big day, lots of energy shifting happening. The Sun is preceded by Venus. This brings our focus to how the world feels. Cancer is the first water sign, it has to do with the ebb and flow of the tide (Cancer rules the moon), and the waves and swells that ensue. Cancer’s keyword is security, moving forward from the Gemini communication. Not just what is mine and how do we exchange, but what is my home, what is my refuge from the changing tides, what is my security? Cancer is the sign of the Mother, it’s glyph suggests breasts or ovaries, or testes in the male. Cancer is a female-aligned energy, as all water and earth signs are. It’s the ancient sea goddess before Apollo at Delphi, suggesting older matriarchal societies. Cancer people feel very deeply, and can feel the currents of other people’s emotions. They are incredibly intuitive, any time a Cancer has a gut feeling, trust them. It’s the feminine source of life, springing from the fountain of youth rather than the next sign of Leo, the authoritarian force of will. So get ready to be all up in your feelings! Venus there is already making us aware of how comfy or home is right now, we’re wanting pleasant surroundings where we live. When the Sun gets there on Monday, all this physical body/practical Taurus, chatty/mental Gemini and fiery/philosophical Sagittarius energy gets washed out in some good old-fashioned feelings!

Thanks for going along with my chatty, chatty swiping finger today, and for your support in general. Hope any of this made sense:)

To write this, I used my trusty empemeris (the same one), and the resources mentioned above.

 

Cheers,

Will

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