Caught In The Cardinal Crosshairs

~ EmpwrdDstny ~ Leave a comment

Wow, so the last two weeks have been INTENSE, am I right?! It’s been a pretty chaotic astro-scene with Mars re-triggering the Uranus-Pluto square for the THIRD time since the beginning of the year, and I’m about ready for all the madness to stop, aren’t you? I have been observing many sudden upsets all around during this period, from clients to friends & family, so count yourself blessed if the last couple of weeks have been relatively smooth sailing for you & yours!

Whenever we get a planet traversing one of the 4 Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) this lights up the status-quo busting dynamic duo Uranus & Pluto. Things are shifting, and these shifts are pretty seismic – I see them as metaphorical for evolution or extinction. While this does push us to bring our “A” game to the table, sometimes there is also value in knowing when to lay low, because while YOU may be bringing your best to bear, it most certainly does not mean everyone ELSE is! People respond differently to pressure; some rise to the occasion, others snap & lash out. But …Read more…

A Saturn In Scorpio Reminder!

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SaturnInScorpioOne potential manifestation of this placement can be staying locked into a screwed-up situation because we fear letting go. Maybe we think we’ll be obliterated if we do, and left with nothing. But Saturn in Scorpio has been challenging many of us to know when to cut our losses. It may be time to acknowledge the reality that we have to fold – even if we think we stand to lose a lot – rather than keep on throwing in more time, energy, effort, etc, into a situation that has kept on degrading. This can apply to relationships, jobs, friendships – anything, really – in addition to literal financial situations. The Fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) have been getting the brunt of this energy since late 2012, and if you have planets or angles in any of these signs, you definitely know what I mean even though we’re all seeing this theme playing out somewhere in our lives to a greater or lesser degree.

The alternative to this, as I have said before in my newsletter, is that we wind up in a metaphorical “moneypit” scenario where we continue throwing in good money after bad despite their being no chance of a Return-On-Investment. Sometimes the best you can manage is to pull out before you’re sunk, and protecting ourselves from situations that are unduly taxing is a far wiser use of this energy. It takes a lot of maturity to be able to look at a situation and admit “This is not working for me” and then steel ourselves to take the hit. But some do not know when to quit – if this is you, time is running out. Saturn will be leaving Scorpio for good next year, and when that happens you definitely don’t want to find yourself with an “F” for this particular life lesson. Saturn is the Cosmic Taskmaster, and when we don’t make the grade by failing to do the right-but-hard thing, it means we wind up paying for it in spades and living with the consequences for a very long time. As always, the choice is ours. This may seem harsh, but it’s really not – Saturn is actually quite fair. We’ve had almost 2 years (so far) to straighten this out, and Saturn’s mission is to teach us there are consequences to every choice we make. This is an important part of being an adult – we gain valuable life experience whenever we deal with the ramifications that come from our decisions, hopefully resulting in an increased level of maturity and wisdom as we age.

06/17/2014

Pluto As The Anti-Hero

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We often hear about Plutonians (those with Pluto, the 8th house, or the sign of Scorpio dominantly emphasized in the chart) cast in the role of “villain” by their detractors. It’s not a new story and the whole “Plutonian as evil-doer” astro-aphorism certainly is a tired old trope that could benefit from a revamping of sorts. While it’s true that Plutonians do look good in black, I’d like to put a slightly different spin on this energy and talk instead about the Plutonian as The Anti-Hero.

My perspective on this topic was spawned from once hearing someone utter the words “Be a hero”, as if it were a call to arms meant to inspire us toward superhuman feats of goodness & purity. Now any Plutonian reading here is probably having some sort of bile-inducing reaction to this proposal right about now, LOL, as this is probably about the worst thing you could say to one of this ilk. You see, Plutonians are not the sort to portray the image of the gleaming White Knight – their version of the best possible lead is usually much more reminiscent of an anti-hero than any of that Sir Galahad business! The Plutonic star is considerably darker, possessing strength of character as well as considerable depth & complexity but often a certain moral ambiguity that make them richer and more compelling as protagonists. Now it’s possible these character traits may stem from some sort of trauma or they may not, but for those who don’t see the world entirely in black & white and who appreciate grayscale and nuance, the Plutonian anti-hero provides something to really sink your teeth into. We might consider the original Dark Knight himself, Batman, as a muse of sorts – particularly as portrayed in the recent Christian Bale -era reboot of this series. Or perhaps if the whole “fighting crime” thing still lands him a bit too far in the “goody-two-shoes” category for your personal liking, consider some of these other fictional characters that also resonate strongly with this archetype:

Captain Jack Sparrow, Jason Bourne,“V” in V for Vendetta, Tony Soprano, The Bride in the Kill Bill series, John Constantine, or – from TV – Don Draper, Cullen Bohannon, or Gregory House, M.D. just to name a few.

Now one could argue these characters are villains in their own right, as we have liars and thieves, vigilantes, killers, and those looking to sate a burning vengeance among this cast of characters. But such an attempt to boil it all down to a common denominator amounts to painting with a very broad – and very black – brush that completely disregards how popular the anti-hero archetype has become and why it’s so resonant to our collective consciousness. Many find a bona fide “hero” challenging to relate to, and although we may still cheer when we see one, the squeaky-clean persona this entails often denies the reality that life is messy and that it’s real easy to get your hands dirty somewhere along the way. The anti-hero seems more relatable, as they make no bones about their shadow – they own it and it is precisely this kind of self-possessed authenticity that makes this archetype so appealing. Few are willing to gaze at their own grimy underbelly, and as a viewer/reader it’s particularly intriguing to watch when an anti-hero struggles against their darkness or wrestles with scenarios where they have to make the ends justify the means….

06/12/2014

The Saturn/Pluto Mutual Reception & The NSA Scandal

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OuroborosUpon mulling over the tale of Edward Snowden & the NSA, it conjured to my mind the image of an ouroboros – a serpent eating its own tail. I found this quite interesting, as the snake is 1) a symbol of Pluto energy and 2) also another word for traitor. Interesting, and decidedly not coincidental as these two appear to have a mutually parasitic relationship to one another where they do seem to be going around & around in an eternal circle….

The story of the NSA scandal has Saturn/Pluto written all over it on a number of levels. The government (Saturn) reaped the consequences (Saturn) of spying (Pluto) on its citizens w/ Snowden’s exposure (Pluto) of what the NSA has been secretly doing to …Read more….

Mars Stationary Direct: Waiting In The Wings

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Image: Degas, "Ballet Dancers In The Wings"
Image: Degas, “Ballet Dancers In The Wings”

 

Something is about to emerge – can you feel it?  Mars has just stationed direct in Libra, and it won’t be long now before a flurry of activity commences.  Watch for developments in relationships & alliances in particular.  But not *quite* yet, as Mars has to warm up his atrophied muscled first before making his grand re-entrance….be patient, but stand at the ready and be alert for the signal.  It’s almost “go time”…..

05/19/2014

Lilith In Leo Shows Her Claws!

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In this viral video clip, superstar heroine feline Tara comes to the aid of her “boy” when he’s viciously attacked by a neighbor’s dog that was on the loose.  She springs into action and trounces the marauding canine, sending it packing and giving chase before swiftly turning on her heel to make sure the little boy was OK.

Now what’s the astrology of this event, you ask? Well, both children and kitties are Leo’s domain, and that’s where Black Moon Lilith is right now.  BML is a dark feminine energy, and a real force of nature when provoked. Seeing a “cub” under attack would certainly elicit this kind of fierceness, because when she gets juiced up by Mars (as she is now), she has no qualms about throwing on the war paint and going into battle – it’s on like Donkey Kong!  Mars sometimes gets a bad rap for being aggressive, but at its very best it represents hero energy.  This little kitty was very brave – she had no idea she wasn’t “supposed” to attack a dog that was larger than her.  She simply took split-second action when she saw one of her pride under attack.

Double astro-bonus points? Lion goddess Sekhmet, protector of the pharaohs of ancient Egypt, (asteroid #5381) was also joined with Black Moon Lilith at the time of this event.  Maybe this feline was only doing what had been hardwired in her DNA to do on a primal level since ye olden times – protect the young pharaoh!

Tara the housecat is a perfect (or is that purr-fect, LOL?) example of this astro-energy in action – may she long bask in the glory of her newfound Leonine rock star status!

The other thing I like about this event is it can help spur a needed re-balance in the ages old cats-vs-dogs debate.  This isn’t to imply that one is better than the other; however it’s possible a story like this can help level the playing field so people see them more as equals, because there’s nothing BML dislikes more than being considered a lesser/subordinate.  Since Black Moon Lilith represents the outcast (in Leo, it can represent the exiled/disowned feline), perhaps those who have previously counted themselves as cat detractors will start to come around to equalize their position a bit in the wake of this kitty’s daring, defiant actions!  At the very least, I’m sure this event will prove to be a boon for all the shelter cats looking for good homes!

05/15/2014

Setting The Record Straight About Mutual Receptions

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With the May 2014 mutual reception between Mars and Venus having just reached a fever pitch on Sunday, I thought this would be a really good time to clear up a prevailing misconception regarding how these astrological events are interpreted.  The recent article I did seems to be getting quite a bit of traffic, and I’ve also had this topic come up in consultation, so it seems this is a topic people are pretty interested in.  Here is the issue we have at hand:

I have to say that I scratch my head whenever hear of blanket statements being issued within the astrological community somewhere along the lines of “mutual receptions are always a good thing”.  This seems to be a fairly pervasive notion, but one I would like to challenge because I don’t think one can (or should) ever issue such a hard-and-fast pronouncement regarding this topic.  My point of view is that each mutual reception must be examined on a case-by-case basis purely on its own merits, because if astrology teaches us one thing, it’s that every astrological energy has a potential dark side.  It’s why there are no “good” or “bad” signs; each is fully capable of a wide range of expression ranging anywhere from Hi-Fi to Lo-Fi.  In my opinion (and experience) neglecting the reality that every astro-energy – including a mutual reception – has a potential shadow only makes it much more likely that it will turn around and bite us in the butt, because then we are not paying attention!  Awareness is our ally; ignorance our enemy – looking at ALL possible manifestations of an energy helps us figure out ways to avoid potholes while actively seeking out ways to create or capitalize on opportunity.  I don’t think this is something, we – as astrologers – should be turning a blind eye to, because it does our clients (and our profession) a disservice.  Mutual receptions should not be handed an automatic pass where they’re exempt from the same kind of scrutiny we give to any other energy in the chart, because to do so would be rather Pollyanna of us.

So let’s talk turkey, shall we?  When we have two planets exchanging energy in a mutual reception, we know this creates a strong resonant interplay between two planets’ energy – they start vibrating at the same frequency, we could say.  And as this vibration increases, it gets LOUDER.  It becomes amplified, almost as if it were one singular sound.  The solo becomes a duet, and as these voices join together they get harder to ignore because the decibel level is cranked up.  If the planets involved in this mutual reception also happen to aspect one another, we could even consider the volume kicked up ANOTHER notch as this third voice is added to make it a trio!  From an interpretation standpoint, it becomes much easier to see the intermingling of these planetary energies when they work cahoots like this because they are making themselves pretty obvious.  Now loud is neither bad nor good; it just is.  Whether or not this sound manifests as harmonious or dissonant to our ears will depend upon who the singers are and whether or not they have a case of laryngitis at show time….and we can determine this by looking at the planets involved to note if they are dignified or debilitated.  Planets that are dignified are like a Frank Sinatra & Dean Martin paring – there’s a significantly higher likelihood that we’re going to like the sound they produce. But debilitated planets? That’s more like an Axl Rose/Cydi Lauper travesty – eeeesh! Oh you’ll get a sound, alright, but it’s gonna take a little work for it to hit the Top 10!

As based upon the work of astrologer Isabel Hickey.
As based upon the work of astrologer Isabel Hickey.

We also have to consider if the energies of the planets in question tend to work well together, or if they’re naturally wired to contradict one another.  Using the Mars-Venus mutual reception that’s in effect during May 2014, Mars and Venus are opposite energies.  They *can* work well together as complimentary opposites and help take some of the edge off one another, but in this case, they’re also BOTH DEBILITATED in the signs they occupy!  Mars is in its detriment in Libra, same with Venus in Aries.  Girly-girl Venus all in pink with her hair & nails done, hanging in Mars The Barbarian’s man-cave while he’s not at home?  Trying to make herself comfortable in such a setting while simultaneously turning her nose up at the stockpile of ramen noodles, the sink full of unwashed dishes, and toilet seat that’s always left up?  She’s definitely a little annoyed about all of this!  And think of Mars (or maybe I should say Conan?) residing in her Palace of Pink, trying desperately not to break all her delicate fine china and having to civilize himself by raising his pinky in the air as he sips tea!  By natural default, I think it’s going to be a challenge for either of these energies to take something positive/beneficial away from this experience, don’t you?  It can be done, but it’s likely to take some work as both energies are *really* out of their element!  In such scenarios, correctly identifying ahead of time the ways in which the combination of these energies can discordantly manifest helps us avoid playing into their shadows while looking for opportunities to manifest the facets of this energy that are going to work best for our specific needs.  The energy is there for us to pull from – ALL sides of it!  The question then becomes “How we will use it?”  We are the co-creators of our own destiny – The Universe may hand us some basic parameters to work within, but knowing what these are leaves us completely free to play the hand we are dealt to maximum advantage!

My hope is those who read what I’ve written above will question the notion that “a mutual reception is always a good thing” – do test that astro-theory out before adopting it as your own to see if it holds water and is actually true in practice.  Because after over 15 years of observing the effects of various mutual receptions in action, I can say with certainty that I’ve seen dark sides to every single one of them, so I urge both novice and pro alike to reconsider their stance on this topic for the sake of increasing the accuracy of our interpretations.  I love this field, and my sole intention in challenging this particular paradigm is to encourage critical thinking & empirical research in a way that will only help to elevate astrology’s credibility within mainstream culture!

05/12/2014

Dealing With Uranus Transits: Part Dos

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So we’ve already talked about some of the basic manifestations of Uranian energy – including some of the Lo-Fi expressions of it – here.  But what about the flip?

If you’re dealing w/ a Uranus transit – meaning this planet has come into contact with a planet or angle in your astrological chart – it’s definitely time to start embracing your inner geek! The Hi-Fi expression of this planet’s energy is brilliant, super tech-savvy, and very forward-thinking. It’s a cerebral energy most comfortable operating on the “genius intellectual” level, and because of this, it embraces the label of “eccentric” or “weirdo” without so much as even batting an eye.  After all, let’s face it – aren’t we’re all a little weird somehow?

(Says the practicing astrologer, LOL!) 😉

Besides, life would be bland & uninteresting if everyone was the same! Uranian energy gives us the courage to be different and  march to the beat of our own drum, flying our freak flags proudly – torpedoes be damned! It represents originality, a desire to stand out from the crowd, to embrace things outside of mainstream culture, and to color outside the lines. Uranian energy is anything but cookie-cutter, adoring the odd and unusual; the “B” movies, independent record labels, and of course all things geek-chic & nerd-tastic in the world.BoldlyGo

When dealing with a Uranus transit, we become more inventive and open to experimenting with things/lifestyles/relationships that are different, strange, and novel. There’s also a highly progressive, future-oriented edge to this vibe that can help bust us out of ruts and put us on the fast-track to tomorrow. Uranian energy represents EVOLUTION; it is the process of change and awakening. In order to accomplish this, we must often be prepared to take a quantum leap somewhere in our lives that will put us *far* outside of our individual comfort zones!

The other awesome thing about Uranian energy is that it helps us connect to other like-minded individuals due to its egalitarian nature. With this vibe, we are more likely to appreciate what’s cool & unique about others through developing a friendly, intellectual rapport with them rather than holding the expectation that we should all be homogenous. Uranian energy also teaches us how to de-personalize so that we can work our social networks like a MoFo without the tail wagging the dog – a true Uranian is very good at remaining detached from internet drama, FB dustups, and any situation involving highly keyed emotion. This planet’s energy helps us to stay cool as a cucumber and rational in situations that might ordinarily frazzle others.KeepCalmAndBoldlyGo

I have always admired strongly Uranian individuals – they definitely make life MUCH more interesting and I appreciate the way they think for themselves & are inclined to question the Established Order. There exists the capacity within every Uranian to enact powerful reforms and to be an agent of change – evolution simply would not be possible without their hand. Consider the substantial societal contributions made by Uranians Abraham Lincoln, Rosa Parks, FDR, Jackie Robinson, and Charles Darwin, just to name a few. These are all people who were revolutionary for their time and smack-on the proverbial “cutting edge”.

But even if your astrological chart isn’t hardwired to display these qualities from birth, each of us is handed an opportunity to tap into this energy whenever we deal with Uranus energy by transit (or progression). The natal chart shows us the energies we have available to draw from all our lives – it’s our birthday suit, so to speak. Transits and progressions, however, represent the costume changes where we get to try on the energies of certain planets for the time being, hopefully figuring out during this process how we can play them up to the hilt and use them to maximum advantage.

One suggestion for anyone who finds themselves dealing with this energy is to tap into this juice by finding a muse who embodies the facets of this vibe you would strive to emulate. If it’s genius scientist, Darwin might be your man. If it’s the will to fly in the face of inequity, Rosa parks just might be your gal. If it’s the spirit of a luminary tech-savvy inventor you want to embody, how about Thomas Alva Edison? You get the picture – figure out who your Huckleberry is and roll with it to get some positive inspiration!

05/05/2014

The Beauty Of A Void: Dealing w/ Pluto/Scorpio/8th House Energies

~ EmpwrdDstny ~ 8 Comments
Image credit: Ute Kraus via Wikimedia Commons, Physics education group Kraus, Universität Hildesheim, Space Time Travel, (background image of the milky way: Axel Mellinger)
Image credit: Physics education group Kraus, Universität Hildesheim, Space Time Travel (background image of the milky way: Axel Mellinger)

I’ve found the subject of “voids” tends to evoke a certain amount of discomfiture in the general populace when contemplated or discussed. Sometimes the response is one of fear, other times outright loathing, as many equate the word “void” with a loss. While that’s certainly true to a degree when you boil it all down, I think it’s a far more rich & complex issue worth exploring. Such a simplistic viewpoint seems rather shortsighted to me, as it fails to take into account the deeper layers of what’s really at work when we’re dealing with this kind of negative space, which is – essentially – just an energetic vacuum of sorts.

A void is like a giant energetic “VACANCY” sign flashing out into the ethers. It has a way of attracting people/things into its orbit in order to fill that empty space, much along the vein of Aristotle’s postulation that “nature abhors a vacuum”. Whether a void forms by chance or by design, it’s natural that we initially focus on what’s *not* there any longer as we process ….Read more…

Misappropriating Counterculture Iconography During The Pluto-Uranus Square

~ EmpwrdDstny ~ 1 Comment

Just. Don’t. Do it.

CounterCulture1

…..Especially in the name of consumerism!

CounterCulture2

Here’s why this really doesn’t fly now: The counterculture icons used during Pluto-Uranus conjunction of the mid 1960’s actually *mean something* to people on a visceral level. When you try to “brand” it and commercialize it during the Pluto-Uranus SQUARE of 2012-2015, well, it just winds up pissing people off because it cheapens and commercializes the spirit of what it originally stood for. A cropped-top T-shirt for teenyboppers? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Yeah, I’m sure that’s EXACTLY what the Black Panthers envisioned their image being used for….!  *eyeroll*

*snort*

Now it’s a FAR different story when something begins its life as sort of commercial icon but then later on becomes adopted as a symbol for the counterculture movement…..!

One of these represents corporate greed deliberately trying to leech off of the zeitgeist because it’s marketable; the other represents The People adopting an image as mascot because they find its symbolism resonant.

Astrologically speaking, this is a pretty clear-cut example of Pluto in Capricorn squaring Uranus in Aries. Pluto in Capricorn not only represents the corporate greed angle, but the corruption/manipulation of a public image to serve a calculated agenda (i.e. profit!) – the Lo-Fi expression of Pluto in Cap is definitely the misappropriation of an *image*. Now the square from this planet to Uranus in Aries is why we’re seeing an attempt to capitalize on that revolutionary, incendiary spirit (precisely what Uranus in Aries represents)….which we last saw during the conjunction of these two planets during the mid 1960’s. Is it any wonder we’re now seeing this re-cycled, re-hashed, re-packaged image regurgitated into something very commercialized? In my opinion, this kind of attempt to put lightning in a bottle (and sell it) is a massive #fail.

And yes, that hashtag use was quite deliberate and very tongue-in-cheek!  😉

04/18/2014