raging universe

Debt and the Centuries

2011-08-05T01:31:00.000-07:00

The Pluto Return

The United States is deep in debt in many many ways. Pluto governs the masses and collective evolution, and with one complete revolution, a cycle comes to a close while a new one begins. Pluto also rules underworld activity and the repercussions of crime come full circle demanding response, with guilt, punishment, retribution, and sometimes exoneration, especially with Pluto in Capricorn. The purge and purification of Plutonian rituals can bring health and renewal, the cost often high demonstrating their great value. How the citizens get beneath the surface and to the root of their troubles remains to be seen, if, in fact, they do.

Pluto at 5 Capricorn is spending a lot of concentrated time opposite the degree of USA Jupiter at 5 Cancer. Extreme losses and gains can accompany this transit, with extravagance and grand gestures. Jackpots and bankruptcy. One and the same.
So now we stand before our rotting mound of accumulation as it comes crashing down. The leveling. Society's wealth shifts like weather patterns responding to pressure. It would be good, so it seems, to have an even distribution all the time, but it doesn't quite follow that pattern. It moves up to the top, then back down, then up, down, skipping around on a wave of its own while we try to catch up, furiously attempting to learn how life works. The logic escapes us but it exists, undulating in an invisible rhythm. It's covered.
An exceptionally massive movement of wealth away from the lower classes to the rich is occurring now, and I can only conclude that it's part and parcel of the Pluto return. How far it goes is still in question. A cosmic bonfire might be in order to address that mountain created by all of us in our orgy of consumption, that thus far, is still in progress.

The rich are trying to protect the loot they acquired when the casino was going at full tilt. Wouldn't you?
With Uranus about, their global stashes are getting shaky, like everything and everyone else. Plus Capricorn likes it lean. No matter how hard people try to hoard their riches, they have an uncanny way of staying in motion. I wonder who will be putting what under the mattress. Money is hot, I think. We need a physicist to explain it.

An attempt to privatize government is underway, including longstanding social programs designed for all people, thus further entrenching the model of profit as the greatest goal however ruthlessly achieved. The battle between government as protector of big business versus the agent of public good has been the battle of this country from the beginning. The government is now merged with corporate power to the point of the system's demise. Either the companies transform, or the stranglehold ceases. A combination might be the end result. The philosophy (Jupiter) of government and business (Capricorn) is a good thing to look at with the ongoing Pluto transit. And that's the good part of these times. With Saturn in Libra, this nation has a natural talent for productive debate. And with the North Node in Sagittarius for awhile I expect the discussion about governance to continue as people argue the issues of spending and taxation. The melodramatic, excruciatingly painful emotionalism of the conversation is only normal. It's our style. Nothing to be alarmed about. Pluto opposite Jupiter in Cancer is the perfect setup for these excesses. And everybody hates the taxman whether they admit it or not. They hate meter maids too.

When the first settlers colonized America they were sponsored by European companies that demanded a profit beyond the basics in an inhospitable environment. In order to deliver, the new arrivals cast the native inhabitants as subhuman below their deer and buffalo, which the ruthless entrepreneurs coveted. They continually broke the treaties they ceremoniously agreed to. They murdered who they could and ultimately herded the rest onto lands of their own choosing. They also imported slaves doing anything and everything to satisfy their sponsors' demands. Unethical behavior was woven into the cloth from the start. It was interesting, though, that the freedom loving transient trappers and traders often dealt honestly with the American indigenous people. Fair trade was in the weave as well. Good trade was there and still is.

When the country was officially born, the intellectual ideals of equality were written into the script, but the reality once again favored business and the wealthy. Through the years, public well-being was addressed in varying degrees, but business crept diligently to the top of the power structure repeatedly, while government knelt at the alter.

Then came the cracking of worldwide cultures who were manipulated into becoming indebted to our ever active entrepreneurs who wished to take ownership of their resources. The crimes committed in these ventures will seek to neutralize themselves as the wheel of fortune spins.

How deep in collective molecular structure is the need for servitude to corporate sponsorship considering the start of the nation? Is it the only way to feel secure? Are the citizens masterminding the continuation of the bond or are they ready to venture away from parental control? These are the questions that will be asked with Pluto returning to 27 Capricorn. But before that happens, the power the companies have will increase enough to create a genuine schism, if that's what the citizens truly want, if and when they are ready to take things into their own hands in an attempt to take charge. Maybe in the beginning, the only way to escape oppression was to make a contract with these future oppressors, and maybe a chance to accept the contract is presented now with the Pluto return as the citizens learn to take their fair share. Learn to see their contribution to the drama.

Where is the source of authority and oppression? Who-what is anyone required to serve? Where is the hand that feeds us? All of us. And what exactly do we owe that hand? What is the contract? Where and how can each of us pay off the debt? Who owes whom what? Who deserves what and who is the judge? Where is the source of our survival, nourishment, and growth?

With Pluto opposite Jupiter, the casino is buzzing. Considering Jupiter, the purveyor of luck, there's no way of knowing which way the cards will fall. But Jupiter itself is crossing Taurus, the mastermind of growth and good budgeting. If the house is having trouble achieving this, there is no reason individuals can't use the opportunity to balance their own accounts. The great scientist Michael Faraday figured it out when he discovered that mass is a constant. Money really doesn't disappear. It just changes form. It's always here. Same amount.

Eventually debt has to be paid, and neither the rich nor the poor are exempt from participating while this wheel of fortune completes its two and a half century revolution. Good trade. It starts small. Furs and beads.

Confusion like a gas pervades the paralysis while the crowd waits for the next cue. The next story. I mean, the next crisis. Where is the director? The traditional political game is ending and the Democratic-Republican nonsense is furiously winding down. The ordinary and familiar political roads are now blocked as Uranus in Aries leads society in new directions, still unknown. The radical nature of Uranus has brought about seemingly extreme behavior but it's the kick start of getting the group to move out of its depressed haze. Fairly soon, Uranus will move into Taurus and trine Pluto for seven years, a different ball of wax.

So now is the demolition. Trying to salvage the government in its current form would likely lead to failure. Joe Schmo for President won't cut it. If Pluto intends to help build a structure more suitable to the times, then there is no way of circumventing this uncertain phase, and there is no way in hell that any of these public figures will have a solution. Revolving jackasses on the midway in this carnival of suckers. Step right up and give them your spare billion.

We're on our own, the lesson of Aries-Capricorn. If the destruction is allowed to proceed to completion, then we will all have a say when the reconstruction comes. When Pluto transited Cancer during the Depression, the people were uprooted, losing homes, watching their security get ravaged. But that worked out OK. They got new ones with at least three toilets, rich green lawns, three-four stories, levels split all over the place, neverending upgrades, oversize garages for the three or so vehicles, and storage for the infinite number of gadgets they could not live without. I'm looking forward to seeing what the new government is going to look like, at least in its infant stages. I wish I could stick around to see it to maturity, but you know.... St. Peter. That's assuming my debts are paid.

In the meantime, what can one do to sort of keep it together while the system flies apart? I'll give you some ideas in the next installment.

Beware! Myrtle Rae Has Words

2011-07-18T05:12:00.000-07:00

Goddammit JM!

You're too sensitive to watch the cruelties of the world. S&M is not for you. You wouldn't even watch the monster movies with the rest of the kids when you were little. How many times do I have to tell you? You're definitely old enough to know better. As an Aries I can handle it, and you with your Aries ascendant might be tough one day, but your Mercury in Cancer with your Sun in the 4th is still bent on putting up a fuss.

I want you to maintain health and confidence, to lift up your voice, and to fully enjoy your life in these later years. Your talent is waiting patiently, holding its pleasure. They will be all right out there.

Happy Birthday Sweetheart! Zelda laid a special egg for you and it's fabulous. She won't shut up until you get it.

Magicians and Travelers

2010-10-31T04:25:00.000-07:00

By quirk of fate, a few days ago I discovered a cinematic masterpiece called Bab'Aziz, the Prince Who Contemplated His Soul, by a Tunisian filmmaker named Nacer Khemir. The video above is an excerpt from the movie. I'm still in a trance. It is a beautiful film. A Sufi tale about love, grace, and mystical fulfillment.
A young girl and her blind grandfather, a dervish, set out across the desert to join a gathering of dervishes that meets once every thirty years. Each of the characters encountered is wandering alone seeking the invisible world in a different way, although they connect with others on and off as past and present are woven together with stories, poems, and songs. It is the child who seems to have been born enlightened. The film is an allegory and a meditation on our own mystical talents.

The demolition of the Democrats has been a difficult experience for many people but it is essential. The more complete the better to save further grief later on. Pluto is just beginning to get serious about destroying the power structure, so whichever party happened to be in control at this time was destined to get it.

Babies are interesting. As soon as they get control of their little hands they start arranging and rearranging everything they can. Their love of destruction is equal to their love of creation, and at first they can't tell the difference. The trouble comes later in the grand socialization. Still, demolition is natural and necessary.

Those who are still playing the partisan game are falling behind. The so called "stupid" people all across the country are beginning to grasp it. The tidal wave is in motion and no one can stop it, but it can be ridden with a certain amount of dexterity. And don't worry. The Republicans are going to get it, too, until the monster in the system is slain. The monster has been fed by all of us and now we have to deal with it.

The last two full Aries Moons triggered an arousal in the citizenry, soon to be put into effect when Uranus transits Aries. I think the hysteria of the 2008 election has now turned into outrage and that was one of its main purposes. Even though the Republicans are going to win this one the people are not electing them because they approve of them. They don't. They just feel they have no other choice and they're onto the whole group and their tricks while trying to flex political muscle. As a result of this election, no one knows who the enemy is. Or if there really is one. Something is senseless. One thing to be sure of -- the factions onstage now won't be the factions of the future. One thing leads to another. Fortunately. Threats are always exaggerated and are often divorced from reality, whatever that is.

The awakening of the people has not come easily and no one knows the details of the next phase. The power structures based on the financial delineations of our society have gone to extremes and the great thing about this election was the revelation of monetary obscenity and the overall unbearable ugliness and brutal behavior of the aspiring legislators, as well as many of the executives. It got to most everyone. So very destructive. No policy, no vision, no promise, and most of all, no leadership. But it's far too soon for reconstruction. Just let the truth lie bare for a moment.

In the movie, one of the themes was how lost all the seekers are in the endless desert dunes, but they know they are going to find their way. Just walk, says Bab'Aziz. You will arrive.
It reminds me of where we are now as a country, only beginning to adjust to being on our own. The two parties with the shape they're now in are incapable of wise leadership. We'll have to make do until we get together somehow collectively and start making good decisions. It might seem like we are lost, and on some levels we are. I doubt that the signposts are gone, though. We just have to look among the dunes. The reason I don't worry much is because I've always felt everyone's confusion. We're all lost and no one's in charge. I find comfort in that knowledge since I dare not give too much power to anyone at this juncture in our evolution. I don't expect anyone to save me from anyone else, anything, or myself. I'm safe enough.

I admire the baby's ability to gleefully destroy what she's methodically built. In a sense I think there could even be some joy in this political demolition. Of course, thumbs must come out of mouths so they can tinker with the erector set. And fingers must come out of ears. Shoot. I suppose that means me and my three sets of ear plugs.

Venus in Sugarland

2010-10-19T03:16:00.000-07:00

Venus in Scorpio gets what she wants whether she wants it or not. There are no bounds to her desire nor to the ways in which this seductress operates.

Last Saturday night I sauntered into a health food store and there past the entrance was a golden curly-headed well made not too old, not too young man enthusiastically selling Vitamixes. My inner Jack LaLanne leapt out and I thought of my shimmering health and longevity while he offered to mix me a fruity concoction. In went grapes, cantaloupe, banana, pomegranate seeds, pineapple, oranges, and I think some apple while he talked about the Boulder know-it-alls he'd just encountered who were somewhat confused about nutrition in his educated opinion. The mega horse power machine did its job and the three old ladies in front of him (that would include me) were dazzled. We loved his juice.

But then something strange happened. In a sort of psychic trance that suddenly overcame him, he told me that another man was coming my way. One more. A great one. The One. My inner Jack immediately panicked at the thought of giving up my solitary pursuit of physical perfection. My venerated freedom. I don't need any more trouble. Besides, I thought I was becoming immune to fate at my advanced age. I chalked it up to Venus in Scorpio and the spook factor and decided to continue as is until further notice.

Venus in Scorpio can work in mysterious ways and now with Saturn in Libra, relationships are front and center for many people. I don't know about you, but the retrograde is bringing in friends from my past and fictitious ones in my future apparently. Venus in Scorpio goes for the gut, the deepest bonding possible, whereas Libra with controlling Saturn prefers a more airy detached form of relating without the emotional demands. By the time this ends I imagine relationships could be somewhat transformed in people's lives. New ones might develop, old ones might die, and current ones could change if necessary.

Scorpio likes to share pain and with Venus retrograde people might discover some relationships based on shared trauma losing their lure. Some love feeling helpful and included in other people's extreme experiences, but not altogether infrequently they discover that the help is ineffective and that the pain can become a drain. There can be difficultly when trying to extricate one's self from such entanglements but this transit might point the way as a few learn that the best form of help can on occasion be implemented by a departure from the relationship or a distancing. Saturn in Libra knows about balancing needs and this guidance can be of use. On the other hand, you might be newly involved in helping individuals through trauma bringing out the best in your character, as you'd like to see it.

Others might find themselves in relationships with envy and jealousy on the rise and here again, Saturn in Libra can be the arbiter of reasonable dealings when accusations, demands, and fits of poisonous vengeance rear up temporarily while people test the limits of their loved ones' loyalty. Forgiveness sometimes mysteriously disappears when Scorpio takes over, but conversely, in retrograde, it can be that old grudges are forgotten and renewal of long lost love comes about with pleasure and relief. Saturn in Libra can aid you in justifying your actions to your heart's content if excuses (explanations) must be made to lure the loved one back. Fair is fair despite Venus in Scorpio's attraction to suspense sometimes leading to quite far fetched suppositions. Evidence, baby. Solid evidence.

Then, of course, there is the proverbial soul mate with Venus in Scorpio, the threat of my mixmaster. Scorpio is fond of the me-and-you-against-the-world approach to relationship where a secret covenant is made between the lovers that excludes all others, unless of course Venus is interested in some games of jealously all geared to prove the strength of the original bond. Hopefully. I think many might question their bondage to groups that could be restricting involvement with broader circles and when Venus leaves Scorpio for Sagittarius in January, some expansion could be the result, especially with Jupiter and its large social connections getting a new start in Aries soon after.

Another Scorpio favorite is the female fight for dominance dating back to reproductive success so it's said. It's easy to see that now within these social clusters made especially noticeable with the burst of new ladies on the public stage. Venus. Yes. Who is the ????? of them all? Potency or something. Or who has the sharpest toes?
It's also interesting to point out the female bond that often underlies their relationships and even the women they supposedly hate often really represent something more complex. I won't say more on this fascinating subject at the moment but it deserves observation since the female political role is changing now in ways that are not fully understood. Pluto opposite US Venus and Neptune on the Moon are still in action.

With Uranus diligently rocking the boat and Mars tunneling deep into Scorpio, hell has broken loose again and the country is in turmoil with the Saturn return just around the bend. There are reasons for the mayhem. "It's the stupid, stupid." The mantra of the day. This hits below the belt. No one does well with insults denigrating the basics of their being.

The fans were all excited waiting to root for their team and discuss their favorite players but it hasn't quite worked out that way with this contest. Bigger things have dominated. It seems that society is tiring of the repetitive political rituals since their problems are getting unavoidable and they want something done by their leaders. Neither party has delivered. In fact, they've made it worse. Common citizens are weary watching the grandest theft in their lifetimes unfold before their eyes while they remain nonresponsive, not knowing what to do. Their votes seem to be the only thing they're holding and the scramble to possess them includes promises getting emptier and emptier while concocted threats mount. Emptying out, a good idea. It's all part of the destructive phase we've encountered and there's no stopping it. The Scorpionic demons demand annihilation. They want it.

But back to Venus. There's hope in the hopelessness. Here's a little story about Libra at its best.....

My husband had a 29 Libra Moon and he was the ultimate gentleman when he aimed to be. My brother, a Libra, had Venus in Scorpio squaring a Mars-Pluto conjunction and his appetites were sizable. My man was a sweet lover and he usually kept a half gallon of ice cream in the freezer. Once my brother came to visit and in the dark of the desert night he completely wiped out the cold sweet stuff. The kind gentleman, who intensely disliked my brother, silently went ahead and purchased another carton, then labeled it "ocean perch". That solved the problem since my brother, in spite of his hunger, has a wonderful sense of humor. The desired sugar was shared by all and our many combined Libra planets chuckled approvingly.

So while they eviscerate one another in their hunger out there, ordinary people can consider themselves safe if they choose, no matter who wins what battle. The contestants need the pain. Scorpio is unafraid to encounter the devils within since they dance together with the most sublime pleasures. The thing of real importance is the relationship of the individual to her own profound desires and quest for satisfaction, whether that includes specific relationships or not. If people do relate under this influence it can be more important than usual to reach this dimension of mutual experience. The retrograde takes the search away from forward motion so digging into internal mines for hidden riches is bound to bring reward. This could include a movement away from the outer circus to something more genuine and tailored to personal need. Some people are finding the public orgy troublesome at present and this provides the route to those inner treasure caves. Or at least some picking and choosing when following so many people who know not where they go? The best and the worst come out with Venus in Scorpio. And the sweetness can be thickly covered in gooey syrupy sensation. Don't get stuck! Venus in Scorpio wants it all.

Another man? C'mon Sugar. Let's do it.
Ice Cream Cavern: Will Cotton: oil on canvas

Trouble in the House

2010-10-15T01:26:00.000-07:00

Venus-Mars in Scorpio
Pluto opposite Venus in Cancer

When Pluto last opposed the United States Venus-Jupiter conjunction in Cancer the first part of the current financial disaster exploded and the failing banks were rescued in an emotional moment, one of many monetary panics that societies inevitably create. Pluto is just back on Venus and the anticipated housing crisis is revving up to full gear. Scorpio represents the underworld and all the secret criminal dealings that have influenced our financial world since time immemorial, and now with Mars in Scorpio, these hidden contracts, or absence of them, are coming to the surface. The Scorpio transits are especially noteworthy since the ruler, Pluto, is opposing US Venus repeating the pattern and revealing the necessity of facing and trying to ascertain the extent of our collective troubles. Homes are precious commodities and the loss triggers deep insecurity in the populace, all part of Pluto crossing the Cancer stellium. Often people run looking for their parents when these moments occur, but now the parents have all gone missing. What are we to do?

It's normal to try and pinpoint the people responsible for the massive fraud but that is almost impossible. Condemning and punishing the individual thieves, although part of the response, would do little to solve the larger problem which is a combination of factors that have been at work for a long time, perhaps since the birth of the country. The significance is increased even further by ruling Pluto's involvement in the Pluto return. Pluto would like people to discover the source of their troubles, a tall order I admit. Cancer can feel left out in the cold when security blankets disappear and under that influence, people can cling as if their lives depended on it. It can feel like life and death with Pluto but I can see how the entity could ultimately pry the grasping fingers from these outworn dependencies in order to move on and face adulthood, Capricorn's domain. Even now you can hear the voices of reality speaking out in sometimes harsh and hard to take tones while the childlike cries continue to try and make them go away. It can be unsettling but there are always people in the crowd who protect the weak at the same time there are those who exploit them, as the bankers have done and will continue to do. Hard times bring out both.

Compounding the shakiness is Neptune making its last pass across the US Moon forming a quincunx with Mercury in Cancer which effects commerce, trust, and security, all the things that are breaking down under the influence of Pluto in Capricorn. Bonds are dissolving with Neptune bringing about a great deal of loss and confusion, all related to Uranus leaving Pisces. A return of trust is essential to economic recovery, and it certainly is hard to build such a thing at the moment.

So metaphysically speaking, the loss of home security must be part of the experience required to successfully complete the Pluto return. Leaving home in a sense for other accomplishments. A trade for the contentment of maturity.
It was a long winding road getting here. One of the most distressing turns was the mass move to suburbia last century and the emotional and psychological damage that resulted because of poor planning and overly zealous settlement. Community connection broke down and people's personal wealth became too tightly bound to real estate. Rather than settling in homes as places of familial support and emotional satisfaction, they became gambling chips and a way to make easy money, while increasing loneliness and alienation set the tone. Psychological depression became epidemic sending the roots of insecurity further underground. The lure of big profits made people susceptible to business predators and as you see, the game got out of hand. We're getting a kick in our assets.

Regulation of business is only a part of it. The predators will always be there pouncing on the vulnerable. Regulation of our selves is just as important as we remember prudence, thrift, value, and the real meaning of home. We the people have been trading up houses, cars, and many other things with no end in sight. Until now.
But perhaps even more fundamental is the ravaging of our constitution, the right to own property being a major one. The extended systematic breakdown of our entitlement is now clear with ownership becoming difficult to ascertain. But who's stealing from whom? Ask an ancestor in his tee pee. Who is entitled to own pieces of earth? Who has the authority to divvy up the earth? This brings thinking around to the evolution of human nature and how long it will take to live sanely, humanely, and comfortably with one another. And maybe we would do better with less property after all is said and done.

Just in time the great era of contraction materializes and since this goes to the fundamentals of our socio-political behavior there won't be any heroes to make laws and save the day. No commissions will solve the problem, no economic genius descending from a bright cloud to take up a chairmanship in this broken government will have the answers. In fact, the suggestions now look like they're only going to make things worse and there does seem to be some cosmic design leading us around some further troubled twists temporarily. There are fears of excessive authoritarian control and attempts by the corporations to decimate our economy and strip the people of power in the workplace and that might be so, but the success of their felonious plans isn't guaranteed.

I think there could be many genuine changes ahead. People will be downsizing, some giving up ownership and maybe the dream of an "ownership society". The large aging population will need to be taken care of and perhaps families will re-organize, looking after their elderly to a greater extent, and even choosing to live in larger clusters including grandparents, children, and children's children. Ideally communities will return to cooperation and independence from federal control thereby becoming less of a burden on society as a whole. The job of government can be taken out of the hands of the federal bureaucrats and spread out among the people with the magnificent benefit of autonomy, self sufficiency, and management of one's destiny, all Aries favorites. We'll even have to take care of the thieves that stole all our money or maybe ship them to an asteroid with health care. The road to renewal is bound to be a rocky one but if real transformation comes, then real disintegration and destruction will be part of it. Pluto is busting up the homeland but it's already helping us appreciate what security we do have. Ideally we'll learn to provide as much of it on our own as we can.

There have been many years of poor leadership in America and the crisis point has come with Pluto nearing its opposition to the country's Sun in Cancer. At this stage it's not advisable to expect someone to do a good job since the problems have surpassed ordinary control and the skills to solve them are still unlearned. It could be an epic battle with Pluto opposite the Sun, one in which the good judgment and maturity of Capricorn pits itself against the neediness and fearfulness of Cancer. Slaying the monster might be the story and Mars in Scorpio offers a few tips. Aries will provide more. The anger in the nation is necessary for arousal, and although it is unfocused and misdirected at this point, it is likely to consolidate and do its job, especially with Saturn so heavily involved.

The solutions aren't due for awhile. The trouble runs deep. By now people are realizing experientially how the issues are beyond the players in our country's drama and it's good for the crowd to learn to concentrate on the real thing. This is why the leaders are failing so miserably as it helps divert attention and misplaced adoration, more so as people's personal dilemmas take precedence. The bitter divisions among us stoked for political gain are beginning to go against the grain of well-being. Blind authoritarian party loyalty on both sides is becoming more and more destructive while the politicians are completely abandoning ideals and policy in favor of a monetary orgy, spinning further and further from control. We're getting to the place of chaos, not knowing exactly why we hate one another. It seems to be because of stupidity nowadays, but because everybody is supposedly stupid, it's stupid to call anyone stupid as a reason for the underlying problems. It merely keeps eyes and minds away from the real ones. Besides, if you tell people they're smart long enough they might come to believe it and act in accordance. And there are alternative forms of intelligence no matter what the grammatical level of expertise of the human. A dangling participle is not much of a cause for annihilation. People's reasons for being who they are are not always unsound no matter how much they scare you. Or merely deviate from your own choices. Sometimes a review of your ideas can reveal some rather odd characteristics judged objectively.

Home and the world are ruled by Cancer and Capricorn and you must build a strong foundation if you want solid success in the broader realms. As our international stature diminishes in the coming years we can reroute and deal with the trouble in the house. It might require a demolition team but look in the yellow pages. The demolition business is a classy one. They do a good job.

October 13th marks the return of Pluto to Venus then on to Jupiter again. There is more to come. Pluto goes retrograde next April and returns yet again to Jupiter for a long station at 5 degrees. Over three months. I find these long stations helpful when they are exact. Developments around this housing issue as well as the whole financial setup will reveal more and more of the truth, something to look forward to in my opinion. The truth is handy. And a secure home is an honest pleasure, something to be highly appreciated no matter how many powder rooms it doesn't have.

The Herd and the Empire

2010-10-10T03:50:00.000-07:00

A robust thank you to Sally Cheyne McDonald for posting the Banking Manifesto of 1892 on her blog, Astroworld. It's perfect. It should be written in stone for telling a truth it didn't mean to tell. We as ancestors must hand this on to future generations so their eyes can shine in astonishment. The Communist Manifesto could never compete.

It's also a perfect time to contemplate this document as the dog mauling dog ritual of elections has come around again, and at this juncture, the Democratic dogs are as equally caged and hungry as the Republican ones, both sides being played by their affluent sponsors, and both finding power difficult to sustain as the downward slide of the system meets the light of consciousness. They need a manifesto badly, although it appears that they are eager to let the thing slide into ruin or thereabouts. Imagine the cheap labor pool that awaits these cautious designers should such a thing occur. The original creed might work.

People are understandably reluctant to think about these matters for fear of bringing down their spirits, but it actually works the opposite way. Being smart and savvy, having good sense, and understanding the game are a big boon to the spirits. Not falling for the politicians' hokum is a true pleasure.. Owning your own mind, knowing your principles, developing a loyal bond with your conscience, and trusting something other than them.

I've pondered the question for years, wondering why people allow themselves to be in such an obsequious position in relation to their rulers. I've seen it in many small ways, this hypnotic force that drives people to follow in herds. Why are they led so easily to just about anything? The rulers are led, too, by super rulers, up and up, to god knows what. I don't believe anyone knows who's making the decisions, which is why I hold firm to my view that the collective as a whole is in charge. It might look like the bullish architects of the Manifesto always get their way and will succeed in reducing the people to an even lower status, but there is no guarantee. We acquired small palaces ourselves and now we've tasted the nectar. Who knows where it will land?

So the fleecing is becoming excessive as it does periodically. Is this not a good time to take a look at the situation? The deadlock as it were. This election is a prime example of the dastardly deadlock. Any notions of being saved by anyone right now probably should be abandoned at the door if you are exercising your good sense. Contemplate the Banking Manifesto for an idea of how much change can be expected when you think about today. They are heavily made up to appear otherwise, but everything the politicians do is geared toward bending the public mind and advancing their own power in accordance with these sacred financial principles. Mars in Scorpio is helping to reveal the extent of their desire, especially with the lid on corporate election spending removed. It's quite a production.

The entrance into a golden la-la land sounds wonderful but I'm not purchasing my ticket yet. Not in early Capricorn. I've got too much to do first.

"We (the bankers) must proceed with caution and guard every move made, for the lower order of people are already showing signs of restless commotion [that would be us]. Prudence will therefore show a policy of apparently yielding to the popular will until our plans are so far consummated that we can declare our designs without fear of any organized resistance [that would be soon]. The Farmers Alliance and Knights of Labor organizations in the United States should be carefully watched by our trusted men, and we must take immediate steps to control these organizations in our interest or disrupt them."

Well no kidding. "Our trusted men." One main astrological driver is the Pluto opposition to the US Cancer stellium, with its revelation of parental neglect and the dangers of continuing obedience to a damaged ruling body. Yes, we're being carefully watched by those trusted men with their immediate steps. The punishing of the left wing, the group most interested in justice and equality, tells the fact. The cracking down on dissent, particularly the anti-war groups, is a sign of the increasing authoritarian power squeeze in a sauce of scare by intimidation. You know, secret prisons and all. It's perfectly akin to the parental hand of the British Empire we rebelled against originally now that the Pluto return is in gear.

"When through the process of the law, the common people have lost their homes, they will be more tractable and easily governed through the influence of the strong arm of the government applied to a central power of imperial wealth under the control of the leading financiers. People without homes will not quarrel with their leaders."

Whoo boy. Cancer transits baby! That hits in the heart and belly. The "strong arm of the government. Central power of imperial wealth. People without homes".
They are wrong. I've been without a home of my own most of my life and I never back away from quarreling with leaders. It's an order. They could be in for a surprise.

It happens with all empires. The uprisings of the peasants are as predictable as the suction of power and wealth by the ruling class. They count on the herd instinct as their high card but occasionally the card gets lost and the people revolt. In ways, this is a good time since the rulers are all so achingly obvious in their so-called cunning games. Transparency they didn't count on like the bankers' truth. One could almost pity them if we weren't in such dire economic straits watching them enjoy their fabulous riches without guilt or shame like court fools. Probably they are weakening simply from the excess and the people know it. They're preparing. Survival favors the well adjusted and as profits disappear for the commoners, their harmony with the coming era of contraction increases. The bankers and all of them will be at a disadvantage in the changing times. They have the most to lose. Money is not the answer. Power is probably easier to acquire than to hold.

"History repeats itself in regular cycles. This truth is well known among our principal men who are engaged in forming an imperialism of the world [that would be senoir politicians]. While they are doing this, the people must be kept in a state of political antagonism. By thus dividing voters, we can get them to expand their energies in fighting over questions of no importance to us, except as teachers to the common herd. Thus, by discrete action, we can secure all that has been so generously planned and successfully accomplished."

Well there you have it. Election season. I'm antagonized while they're engaged in forming their little imperial world paradise so generously planned. You bet. New terror alerts right on cue. People getting literally sick to their gizzards of one another. Money all over the place except in my hands. Obscenity and hideous aggression in the air and I happen to be a timid person, so yes. I'm successfully antagonized. Good job.

There is a lot of complaint about the complaints and absence of action or suggestions about what can be done. But now is not a time for solutions since the demolition has just begun and adjustments have to be made as the structural decay of the country is exposed and recognized. Acknowleding the futility of this election and the failures in the air make a fine start. Those who are afraid of a Republican takeover need not worry no matter how many seats they gain. It's just part of the wild two party swing in these economic hard times just as it was in the 1890s when the Banker's Manifesto was declared and a Democratic majority changed to the largest Republican win in history in 1894. Saturn was in Libra as it is now and eventually the seesaw settles. Both parties are incapable of leading and the public will vacillate between the two until economic security returns. It's fairly simple.

When Uranus goes back to Aries and Pluto gets a toehold, answers will start coming, and in due time, solutions. It's good to keep in mind the wave-like nature of events in society and that we're now in a restricted, somewhat depressing down part of the line that must run it's course before it turns up, which is inevitable. Riding the wave is superior to getting caught in the undertow in my estimation.

It's hard sometimes to let go of long held beliefs and dependence on certain groups but something has to give. Comparing and contrasting might give a slight edge to someone or some thing for a fleeting moment but the whole organism is in need of treatment. Maybe there are some new leaders within the herd and if the members could take their eyes off the needy, rather grotesque pantheon of stars today in the public light, they might see possibility. Potential is a fact of life. Sometimes you have to look in unusual places. Sometimes you have to look again. And again, in case you missed it. It can be subtle. Turning away from the ordinary miscreants is not easy but it can be done and dissidents are in tune with that necessity. Even if leadership takes a further dive at first it could be the path to something better when the time determines. It will. Survival requests it. The tuning up of values with Pluto opposing US Venus and Jupiter will bear fruit in the long run.

Well the bankers seem to have their act together. I'd better work on mine.
The Course of Empire: Destruction, Thomas Cole, oil on canvas-1858

A Vote of Confidence

2010-10-06T17:25:00.000-07:00

I do understand how fruitless it is to try and soothe your fears. I really really do. But the cosmic war on terror is in full swing and I can't help myself. I'll try yet again.

It honestly doesn't matter what tiny human creature wins what in the overall scheme of things. Nor does it matter which fool political party gets power. It does not change the fundamentals of society. In fact, it works in the opposite direction. The underlying needs of a society at a given time determine the kind of leadership it chooses. And don't worry. Society does choose even if it's a dictator. There is no conspiratorial force of evil trying to get you. Well, it won't, even if there is one. In that regard, who votes for whom or who doesn't vote won't change the fundamentals either. What's the point of eviscerating one another over someone else except to satisfy Mars in Scorpio?

Every two years like clockwork the crowd gets into a monstrous terrified frenzy thinking the end is coming once again. Maybe it's a catharsis of sorts and serves some beneficial purpose but what that goodness is still eludes my comprehension. The governing body is a symbol of the times and the fact of the matter remains -- the United States is in a regressive phase going further into constriction and conservatism. But that's temporary. Your vote won't change the movement since society as a whole needs whatever reality it has. The purpose may be outside your grasp but time puts it all into perspective.

Neither fringe -- right or left -- is destined to overpower the political stage. The needling from both ends is only part of the motivation required to get the country out of paralysis and stagnation. So the panic is not necessary unless it fulfills some personal desire. It's true that hate is exciting and that life is rather routine and boring overall. Lonely, too, so this merging with political strangers can be expected even if it is ultimately not the love you had hoped for. Not at all since hate seems to be dominating the show.

So if you enjoy hatred, by all means indulge yourself. Detesting some two dimensional character on a screen is probably better than hating your best friend. As far as fear goes, that same thing applies but let me issue a small warning. Hate unleashes harmful chemicals in the body and constant stress releases cortisol which creates FAT!! Fat and sickness are not cost effective right now considering the rapidly escalating insurance premiums. It takes discipline, I know, to live well.

Here's the skinny. The ideal thing to do is look at your choices and vote, if you want to, for those who are aligned most closely with your principles. Let your conscience have something to do with the process and mind your own business. Others' votes are a private matter unless they want to reveal it to you. A vote cast in confidence will outshine one cast in fear every time.

The results of the midterm election will be a group decision involving everyone. And it will be the right one. Mars in Scorpio, governing unbridled desires and personal demands, will square Neptune in Aquarius right before the election, so collective goals will likely triumph, that much more so as a result of the difficult conflict, neediness, and over emotionalism of Scorpio. You might love the results, you might hate them, you might be OK with them, or you might be entirely undisturbed and subsequently thin and healthy. If you trust yourself, what difference does it make what another says? If you trust life, you know it will work out all right eventually. The Friday Night Fight approach to relationship does have a downside. A good thing to keep in mind for the lovers of the uplifting and positive.

My vote is for you finding your own confident voices.

Elimination

2010-10-01T02:17:00.000-07:00

Mars in Scorpio

Scorpio represents material which is no longer essential and before decay escalates and poisons the system it must be eliminated. Mars is the decisive thrust of separation, and the endings in motion now are part of a larger pattern related to the building Pluto transit through Capricorn. Mars is not always subtle and the natural inclination of Scorpio toward pain is intensified with Mars crossing the sign for six weeks. Fear is part of the process and mysterious undercurrents create a haunting psychological tone in the atmosphere arousing interest in the shadows and perception of multi dimensional threats. What exactly these threats are might never be known. But whatever needs to be excised will be.

I talked extensively about the current administration's chart and the moon at 29 Scorpio, which to me tells the tale best. Mars is headed for that moon and as you've noticed, the elimination is already underway. You might recall that the people involved have a preponderance of Scorpio planets. Those planets are being activated as taunts and Martian bullying are spurting out from everywhere and blame has no idea where to settle in its torrential extrusion. This is all necessary since the times call for destruction and release -- the beginning of the Plutonian process of death and regeneration. In a sense the whole administration should go and on some level it probably will. Plus the splintering of both parties is exactly what is needed at this stage of the country's political evolution.

To those who have awakened, the malaise of the government is clear and although most want to participate in a great healing, the elimination of waste comes first. Neither party is presenting a valuable package and it's quite apparent that the masses aren't too keen on handing them their precious votes. Scorpio governs wealth and to the common citizens, their votes are part of the treasure chest. Government on the cheap has its problems. The begging is unbecoming and if people hold their cards close perhaps the nascent shoots of genuine power can start to crack the earth eventually.

Under these conditions, punishment of those who are withholding their votes is not practical. It could easily be the source of something important. In fact, those who are choosing not to participate could be the most significant part of this election. They are recognizing the potency of an individual voice, with Mars in Scorpio giving them courage to make a stroke of finality in refusing to play this age old game of pretense and humiliation. The multi billions put into propaganda could be better spent if the swindlers knew it wasn't working and if people developed savvy and self respect, the idea behind Capricorn. Adhering to principles, a novel concept, and establishing boundaries. Doing the right thing after conscious consideration.

People vote too fast. Many vote mindlessly and blindly, some staying loyal to vague ancestors who dictated the party line to the family into perpetuity. Some don't know why they vote.
It is a lawful right. Simply. You do with it what you want. You can spend it. You can keep it. You can abuse it. You can treasure it. You can throw it in the dumpster. It's yours. And it's not for others to decide what you should do.

Vote for who you will. At some point people will have to think and act independently if a real democracy is destined to sprout. The winners of the current race are fantastically insignificant. And keep in mind the fact that one party rule is never a good thing no matter how much you hate the opposition. They have less power than you believe. People out of power can come back with a vengeance and they usually do. Those who have total power are weakened by the fear that they can't sustain it. And they can't. Shared power can be advantageous, especially with Saturn in Libra lending a balance scale to the proceedings. Acceptance of the other's presence might be unavoidable.

It's also helpful to keep in mind the end of the nodes in Cancer-Capricorn and the weaning from dependency on politicians I've mentioned so often before. With Pluto on the Capricorn NN and Venus opposite conjunct the Cancer South, a step away from the childlike attachment the country favors could be indicated. I'd grab the opportunity. I think I will. Even the founding fathers could use a break. How can we be led successfully through troubled times with out of control toddlers everywhere having continuous tantrums with what I perceive as mental incapacity? It's hard to decide whether to vote for them or incarcerate them. Maybe day care is the answer, at taxpayers' expense of course.

Whatever happens the destruction of the established order is imminent so the throttling of the parties is not surprising. I don't want a continuation of this government myself and I'm finding more and more people agreeing with me. The sale backfired this time. Now people really do desire change. Maybe. Deliver the goods or my money back. That's the sensible way to do business.

The Spook Factor

Scorpio coupled with Mars can rile up the fear chemicals like crazy and the outlandish panic between the parties is preposterous. Democrats won't perish if a few Republicans win, and they might not even notice any increased suffering after it's said and done. Republicans can relax in the knowledge that their country won't become a Communist haven overnight when Democrats slip off a few hotly contested seats. The whole thing will work itself out no matter who votes for whom. The exaggerated fear of sudden political cataclysm doesn't quite fit. It might turn out that the crowd doesn't get its cataclysm at all, 2012 notwithstanding. Or 2020. Or Pluto or Uranus or Saturn. Or even seven hits, as mystical as that sounds.

Betrayal is a favorite Scorpio subject and it does no harm to understand the feelings of those who spend time, energy, money, and emotion, with dreaded door-knocking, in enthusiastic outpourings for just about anyone. To be disenchanted is inevitable. Anger is a by-product, it ebbs and flows. Slow percolation is better than an exploding pressure cooker if it can be prevented. So maybe the expression of angst is a healthy sign. Oppression and obedience are not healthy, no matter what condiments you dress them with. Pressure has to break out.

Fair Exchange

Perhaps the most beneficial aspect of Scorpio is the art of fair exchange and here's where it gets interesting. Venus is also in Scorpio, the lady of transactions and shared riches. To highlight the drama, Venus is going retrograde in Scorpio very soon and will be there until January repeating the theme of Pluto opposite US Venus. That's a lot of time and energy devoted to the idea of "I'll give you what you desire and you'll give me what I want, satisfaction guaranteed."

And so it starts with the distribution of votes. The people are merely asking that the elected officials deliver some tangibles in exchange for their votes. They're not doing so at present. Who owes whom? What does a vote mean? It's ludicrous to fall for the deception that the people are obligated to the rulers. It's supposed to be the reverse and if they don't recognize that, a fair government will never be born.
The politicians are sponsored by big business and are required to please them first so they throw bits and pieces to the crowd to create the illusion of answering to their needs. The swindle is getting harder to conceal and they are cornered since they still need the votes. This adds to the importance of society's say and maybe this time through the process more understanding of the dynamic is coming into view. The battle could end up to be between the traditional sponsors and the commoners if the people go ahead and exercise their power starting now, and that means withholding votes in some cases. If people's votes are that important then the politicians will have to show how much they value them, without begging or threatening. Most of all, Americans can begin to comprehend the fact that it's not them. Or us. It's all of us. The collective contracts we make are above and beyond the clawing cast of individual characters. They needn't be so bothersome. Who's holding the high card?

As you probably know the wealth distribution is more out of whack than it's ever been and through Mars in Scorpio, then Venus and Pluto, an increasing awareness of the magnitude of the problem is developing. The people are getting it on a visceral level. Scorpio. The rich had a great year. The other 98% of the population didn't fare so well. And the dagger of Mars is driving the knowledge home in between commercials. It's far far beyond the president, his self destructing cabinet, and the congressional aspirants, so regardless how much Mars in Scorpio hurts, no matter how scary it gets, some measure of truth is emerging. Even though it might seem like enemies are lurking in every corner, in the end it's one organism, with all people playing essential roles, supporting this or that as they go. Someone's right choice can easily be another's wrong one. Flexibility is good. The natural curve with the fluidity of Scorpio and Pisces so influential these days.

The always pesky issue of shared power in relationships is scheduled to be in the forefront throughout the retrograde and Saturn in Libra weighs heavily in securing justice and equality. Most important is your own support network, and this transit is an ideal time to establish who is there for you and who can be eliminated, with some forays into revenge, jealousy, betrayal, deep emotional connection, and magnificent shared potent energy -- all those goodies of Scorpio, with Venus and Mars enjoying their intrigues to the fullest. If you don't have anyone to pester you can clean out your closets, garage, basement, and attic, if you have one. You and I both know there's something to discard in those nooks among the cobwebs.

Fruitful Perceptions

2010-09-15T00:22:00.000-07:00

Circumstantial Optimism
Jupiter conjunct Uranus in Pisces

Jupiter signifies the higher mind in astrology and goes beyond simple ideas to a full bodied view of one's life and the relationship of self to the universe. Uranus brings unusual twists and expansions often creating the opposite of what the individual once held to be true, venturing further and further from others' dicta. The third-ninth house polarity comes into play and while the third is content with following the daily ups and downs, gossiping about the personalities, and keeping the mental scope small, the ninth is more interested in cosmic affairs and exploratory states of mind. Maybe that's why the ninth is connected with confidence, relaxation, and freed up energy for elevated pursuits. The philosopher in his library studying ancient texts comes to mind, undisturbed by mundane concerns. While Sagittarius would be interested in finding out if god exists, Gemini might be wondering what it's wearing and who it's dating.

Everyone can mount the stairs to the quiet secluded chamber when the opportunity arises observing the world with amusement or sometimes sorrow if the mood strikes. The deeply philosophical can swing both ways.
It doesn't matter what politicians are elected to swear and place their rear ends on the hallowed seats of Congress, nor what little people are appointed to what commissions. It shouldn't effect your lives adversely if your views are realized and you are the protagonist of your own existence.

Multidimensional perception is not ordinary thought. Experience, wisdom, and spontaneous insights can influence the mentality of Jupiter, along with other mysterious phenomena. With Uranus, these insights can be rich with luxuriant awareness -- the light bulb that transcends the largely dimwitted conversation that fills the mundane hours in society. Sometimes one's thoughts can surpass the crowd's muttering to an alarming degree if one dares cross the threshold into the land of enhanced perception.

Through this door lies a solid optimism removed from daily news. I wrote earlier about my personal relationship with Jupiter and how it detaches itself from events to act upon the psyche from another platform of observation. A place where good and bad cease to be the dominant factors. A place where the individual can decide how much she wants to bend her mind into group belief, sometimes seeing an alternative as the appropriate choice. Especially with Uranus.

The collective is becoming increasingly cognizant of Pluto's pressure just beginning in Capricorn. The python's squeeze I call it. The constriction will increase until the people as a whole learn to absorb the tension and respond in a productive way, considering the will of Capricorn to put everything to use. The squeeze and release is ongoing, kind of like a digestive process, and the periods of discomfort will probably return again and again until the job is done for this 250 year go round. That's why the subtle optimism of Jupiter can be invaluable. For some the dips and soars are what they want and when the chips are down they adore feeling the pain. Others are terrified of the downs, but probably just as fearful of the ups if the truth be known. Then there are those who view the parade of events with philosophical pleasure, conjecturing, even predicting for the hell of it, but never burying their respect for life on account of other humans' ignoble behavior. Hate in that case becomes useless unless one enjoys the burn simply for the heightened sensation. Sometimes I wonder if most hate doesn't fall into that category. Fear as well. Who's fear is it anyway? Jupiter with all his bombast laughs uproariously then grabs another bolt.

With Jupiter-Uranus retro in Pisces it wouldn't be surprising if chaos rules the day. People might have no choice other than to believe in themselves and god, or something like that. Politicians are a flimsy selection. Journalists are suspect too. It's a golden and ripe opportunity, with autumn on the way, to reap the harvest of fresh perceptions and let go of false idols, fake prophets, stale ideas, and expectations for the future itself. With Pisces there's no time like now.
And money grows on trees, doesn't it?

Bacchus on the 49th Yard Line

2010-09-10T02:00:00.000-07:00

Chaos On Edge

On August 31st the end of combat operations in Iraq was declared. For the second time. Anyone can see that combat continues and the real end is a fantasy at present, if ever anything truly ends. Meanwhile, combat operations on US turf have begun -- the start of the 2010 election season. The kick-off this season has a particularly agonized and frenzied feel to it which reminds me of the orgies of Bacchus, often associated with the planet Neptune and its deluded intoxicated rituals geared to reach some kind of ecstatic state of being. I have difficulty seeing survival, death, war, peace, and the selection of leaders in charge of human society so closely linked with vicious sporting events portraying the less than dignified nature of man. But such as it is. I will be exercising self discipline this time around while I remove myself from the coursing currents of pain with no bets on the winners. The frenetic screaming and the emotional extremes, soon to be fueled further by the planets in Scorpio, are not for my system. It's a perfect time to pursue health and well-being, considering a new moon in Virgo. Nevertheless, it's reassuring to know that it's 52-48 at half time.

There was a spark of joy in the beginning of the last Presidential election, with Pluto at 29 Sagittarius, but not this time. Uranus is at 29 Pisces, and Jupiter has just arrived. Neptune is on the US moon adding to the confusion, longing for escape, return to savior worship, and the underlying hint of despair. Only 25% of the populace feels positive toward their legislators, yet these are the ones they will choose to lead them forth. Disappointing no doubt. Like a buffet full of inedibles when you're famished. The main leader, while recently extolling the virtues of his savvy friends, the bankers, is now vehemently against them and the middle class is his latest heart throb. Somehow it doesn't ring quite true and I believe the people are suspicious, even though he's successfully dropping his Gs all over the country's trails. A spurt of life came with the planets in Aries for a moment, but now that they're in Pisces again, a sinking sensation has returned. The frenzy is partly due to the denial of this reality as the crowds so desperately cling to the last of their illusion of great progress and fabulous reform. The planets will be going backwards throughout the season and genuine hope will probably be intermittent at best, but tinged by the Bacchanal. They go direct shortly after, which holds promise, if only to bring relief that it's all over. Joy is relative.

Adding to the excruciation is the new wave of Muslim hate in the country and why not? How many times can some say "Muslim terrorist" and flash images of threatening dark hued men before the public mind gets warped in that direction. How many bombed Middle Easterners can they see pictured on their screens nightly with accompanying gleeful announcements that we've killed the enemy? How much hate can a woodchuck chuck? You can blame the poor and uneducated if you like, but I see some connection to these specimens parading onstage in the lineup waiting to help us become a great country again, full of love and justice, even democracy, while frantically covering up the droppings of the last crew of criminals who led the charge. They act kind of like they're friends with them really. Blood brothers.

Further compounding the agony are the new medical insurance bills under the improved system and people are aware of the trap they're in. The walls close in as Pluto squeezes. Here again, the beloved legislators who devised the bondage are now begging for money, votes, and vital human juices. The screams are just beginning.

The carrot of tax relief is not exactly being dangled. It's being forced into the body politic seemingly through an orifice created just for this purpose. Jammed in rapidly with the deadline looming. The tax desperadoes are on a rampage, guaranteeing a worsening of the already deteriorating economic health of the people. The tax panic is exaggerating the chaos highlighting the inability to use clear logic and historical precedence. Nonetheless, a debate about governing philosophy (Jupiter-Capricorn) has been escalating and might bear some fruit before Pluto leaves its opposition to Jupiter. Even if people don't follow their persuasions or adhere to their principles, it might help if they know what they are.

And Pluto toys with US Venus in Cancer. Does anybody up there care? Desperate people are not always the kindest and most attentive.

I think society realizes that this election is virtually futile. The people's vote has become useless and the chaos circulates not only through the lower body, but through the upper echelons as well. Too rushed, too panicked, altogether too reckless for anyone who enjoys peace, harmony, and good governance. And it really doesn't matter who wins this game. In fact, at 29 Pisces, they could all be losers.

But as a whole, we can't lose, especially if we don't resist the truth of this baffling moment. If we let go of our delusions and accept experience as it comes our way. The failure of our two party system is clear and that in itself is a valuable revelation. The discombobulation of the current administration is also a picture to keep in mind. If they don't work out, they can go. Simple. We'll manage. We surely will.

It's easy to sense something deeper at work with the spiritual currents in play now. I can always refer to my broad perspective that has seen life's events work out perfectly, really, as the new moon in Virgo points out. Pisces teaches us to let go at times. The machine repairs itself and the painful incidents lead to pleasurable ones next. We're not in control of the speed pedal. Perhaps that's why the news is so artificially pumped up. Unfortunately for the perpetually thirsty, sometimes nothing happens for reasons of pacing.
There are unseen gears turning that guide the collective, although on the surface it can appear like stumbling, fumbling, and falling. None of the daily ups and downs, or even yearly, ruins the basic functioning and when events are good, they just are, and when they're not, there's not much we can do short of trying to understand them and listen very very carefully for instructions from the source. As well as allowing ourselves the freedom to revel in the moment with or without artificial intoxication. You can even scream for your favorite jackass.

There's not much reason to be terrified. It's too late. You took your chances when you came here. The flexibility of Pisces is terrifically useful as we bob about in the amnion. Everbody's lost, really, talking in squiggles. Disappointment isn't that serious. You know, as moms love to say, "It's not the end of the world." That hasn't been discovered yet.

Fill my cup, please.

Page Turning and Book Marking

2010-09-02T01:31:00.000-07:00

The Spoils of War - Uranus Returns to Pisces

In perfect harmony Uranus at 29 Pisces coincides with the fake end of the 29 Pisces Iraq War mimicking the false start and continuing the confusion it's so famous for. "Did we win? Did we lose? Did we tie?" writes Mike Littwin in the Denver Post.

I've emphasized before the karmic conclusion associated with this point where saints and sinners collide to create the spark of new life in Aries. In due time. The confrontation with past mistakes, the consequences of all our actions, comes now when humanity realizes that we share the guilt. We often beg for forgiveness and, so far, we seem to get it, especially if people acknowledge what they've done, although that's not necessarily a guarantee. Redemption is unpredictable, especially with Uranus at the helm. I'm not one for group adhesion but I'm beginning to think this collective karma is influencing my own, and not to my advantage. To my slight surprise, the public reaction to this staged not so slick event has me encouraged. I'm pleased and relieved when my family members express honesty, particularly concerning grave matters. Or at least give it some time and reflection.

I witnessed with my usual horror how Operation Iraqi Freedom magically transmogrified into Operation New Dawn with a flick of the wand-tongue. An MGM cornball flick with customary cheap sentiment and stunt man heroics, naming our beloved "patriot" George W. Bush the mastermind of this "remarkable" event in history that has increased our safety, while we free ourselves to hunt and kill Muslim terrorists elsewhere. Never mind that there are no Al Qaida monsters in Afghanistan. Maybe the back lot at MGM can provide a few. Well MGM's lot is gone. Maybe Universal can spare some.

Meanwhile the screeching of the "let's be positive" magpies becomes deafening and tries to drown out the picture of ugly devastation and the chaos in the minds of the people caught in the maddening Uranian eddies, futility in tow. It's not the opportune moment to dreamily turn away from this who-knows-what by the Euphrates. The time for escape is drawing to a close, if that's even possible in this Disneyworld called the United States of America. Yet it's not the time for radical transformation. 29 Pisces is a time for finalizing the old, understanding it, feeling it, accepting it, and that's bound to happen no matter how much the crowd wishes things to be better. It's good when it's good. It's just a matter of accurate recognition.

So there he sits in his newly spiffed up office, hands perfectly folded, obediently following orders, pretending to be president, and advises the people to turn the page. Kind of like the saying goes ... "Nothing to see here. Let's move on." The guy is lost in space. Obama is ridiculous.

The plight of the American people, however, is not ridiculous. They seem to be catching on. The politicians are playing their own game disconnected from the desires and basic needs of the citizens, and lo and behold, the poor people are starting to feel left out. Forsaken. Tumbling on the 29 Pisces shore without an anchor, lifeline, or puffy jacket. Not even an inner tube.

We the hapless good guys were promised a new chapter. That all together we would change the world. What if the world doesn't want changing? What if the people have other pressing things to do? It seems to me one would be inclined to have a job before tackling the improvement of the universe. I could be wrong, though.
Meanwhile, rushing into the new dawn probably can't be done without looking at a bit of history or even some present. Especially with Uranus going ass backwards in Pisces. How on earth can the collective go on to better times without knowing what's wrong and how to fix it? Don't you want to know?

Say you develop a pain in your body. It doesn't go away and you sense that something is seriously amiss. You go to a physician and the first thing she does is diagnose the ailment. Then she prescribes treatment which often includes some destruction at first. When the cure comes, the body feels renewed, enjoying its trust in life again. The same can be applied to the body politic and deep in Pisces we become aware of our failures, our crippling, our weaknesses, our helplessness, and our exhaustion until we finally drop our burdens and trust another source of strength entirely beyond our control, or even conscious awareness. It's hardly the time to build gargantuan structures to the heavens or even solve our tax problems. Diagnosis itself seems likes it's on a distant horizon. The thing is not exactly progressing. But why should it at the end of Pisces? Pisces the Futureless. The Free.

Things fall apart in Pisces. They unravel. They disengage.

President Obama has some disturbances going on as most people do. Abandonment fears, for example, and a sizable megalomania that's led him to take charge of the worst killing machine on the planet. Meanwhile he plays dress up in the office, perfectly grease painted and prompted, telling us to blithely walk away, ignoring the replacements already en route. Like I said, he's lost in space. Perhaps his bosses are too.

It's not at all Obama's fault nor is it his responsibility to get this country out of trouble. It's probably best to just let him play. He's all right. His psychological fouls are not really that harmful if you see them as a reflection of the complexes that have created this country's present predicament. Our own abandonment issues with four planets in Cancer and the Pluto in Cancer generation now dying out. Our misguided belief that life is no more than a Hollywood script. Our matinee idol president is evidence of how far that's gone. And that's the good part. We don't have to follow him. We can't.
Another plus is how the number of dangling carrots provided by this administration could supply the body politic with enough vitamin A to actually give it good eye sight.

But honestly, the very good part of this disastrous scenario is that people seem to be finally realizing what these wars are about, and not just the drug addled fucking retards. The lack of jubilation is highly promising. The sexual rise and panic the manipulators incite is slow in coming. There is something wrong with the picture, digitalized as it is. The illusions of heroics are gradually being supplanted by the recognition that war is waged for material profit, and it hurts to be violently killed. Probably a little less than it does to kill.
The star making machine is already struggling with Afghanistan. War is not as good as was promised. The spoils seem meager.

We can turn the page but I would suggest bookmarking the chapter to refer to while Uranus disrupts the Piscean collective seas until next March when the Sun joins Uranus in Aries for the "New Dawn?" Meanwhile, the group runs about chasing flying objects that keep disappearing.

Vibrating Strings

2010-07-20T04:58:00.000-07:00

Saturn in Libra
A Marriage Between Science and Art

"Science has shown that song lies at the core of life."

So say the researchers in a very interesting documentary I just discovered called The Music Instinct - Science and Song. Brian Greene, a physicist at Columbia University has this to say:

"You can phrase a lot of interesting phenomena in the universe in terms of music. For instance, I work in a field called string theory which is an approach to describing the fundamental constituents of matter. It says that inside all particles of matter is a little tiny string that vibrates sort of like a violin string would vibrate and the equation that we use to explain this little string is very close in structure to the equation we use for the violin.
In a sense what we're saying is that, if string theory is correct, at the heart of matter is music.
The sounds of the universe are at too low a frequency to be picked up by the human ear. Even black holes have pitches. One is a b flat but it's 57 octaves below any b flat we could hear.
It's all a matter of the same underlying phenomenon -- vibration. And vibration is so apparent in the cosmos that you can perceive the underlying thread."

The film was fascinating, an in depth look at music from an unusual perspective and out of the ordinary lab experiments. The consensus of opinion at the conclusion was that music serves the purpose of building group cohesion to align people's brain states. To synchronize, for some reason not stated. It feels good, several mentioned. Or protects the species. I have my own theories about music's functions and it most assuredly is an interesting subject.

With Saturn in Libra for a couple of years I'm looking forward to some engaging exchanges along these lines. I'm a big fan of physics.

Electrochemical Explosions

2010-07-01T01:21:00.000-07:00

Jupiter-Uranus in Aries
Hell Breaks Loose

"With the U.S .government and oil giant British Petroleum under fire for their handling of the more than two-month-old Gulf Coast oil spill disaster, environmental and community activists across the country are taking matters into their own hands.

'We're organising a broad resistance,' Larry Everest, a spokesperson for the committee from San Francisco, California, who traveled to the Gulf after the disaster, told IPS. 'The goal of the summit flowed from the call we put out, a recognition of the enormity of the catastrophe... and recognising that the disaster is out of control and spreading and BP and the government have shown they are unable and unwilling to stop the disaster and protect the environment or even tell the truth.' "
Matthew Cardinale: Gulf Spill Galvanizes Activist Community

I presume many of you have noticed the rising tide of anger in this country as I have. Well in the world, really. The fuse of Aries is even more explosive with Uranus playing a major role in the drama, but there are usually managerial factors and certainly Saturn will also be playing a big part. Aries is potential energy, the kick start of all action.

The oil expulsion has triggered an electromagnetic wave of concentrated energy in the world, unexpected and following odd Uranian pathways. It shot a bolt of distraction into the distractions and a double-take is finding people having difficulty with their ordinary disjointed frenzies and hackneyed shows.
People frequently underestimate the force of Aries -- the highly charged juice that enables life to take off and begin the struggle for survival. You probably have to be one to know what I'm talking about and I am .... Aries rising. I also have a tight Mars-Uranus square and I've been shocked at times, not only by the extent of my anger but by the fearlessness with which I express it. I've come to have a healthy respect for Mars combined with Uranus.
It often does seek control, fortunately. Potential energy is meant to be harnessed and utilized. And the harnessing of energy is part, if not most of the underlying theme in this story, another sequence in the whole story of civilization and its fuel requirements.

The idea is to take the Arian-Uranian anger emerging, consolidate it, confine it, and use its electrical power, not only to shake up a too rigid system, but to eventually set into motion the beginnings of real alternatives. In the beginning, it simply has to come out.

Something always seems to be dogging human society as a whole with so many people and so much desire trying to orchestrate itself on the planet. Life in all its forms contends with adversity. There's plenty of room for error and I assume that these quirks are part of the sequence from success to failure and back again in the continuous cycle. The irritation pushes us along.

People are out of work and saddled with debt. Medical costs are rising 9% next year. We're swimming in gas and the current alternatives are just as destructive. The rich are on another spending spree and are broadcasting their superior position blatantly. The commoners don't know where to turn for assistance and are beginning to feel that the previously trusted specimens are actually causing some of the harm. The federal government is alternating between playing dead and continuing the criminal heist, pretending to do an infinitesimal something for the citizens as a coverup for political positioning and maintenance of the established order. I'm not sure that the increasing frustration has anywhere to go but through hostile channels at first. If the citizens were to get results then the harnessing could proceed, but Jupiter and Uranus are only in Aries briefly now and there's a conclusion to make in Pisces before action gets a foothold.

Energy. It's all about energy. When Mars contacts Uranus it bursts past the usual circuits in a way designed to open up new paths that wouldn't appear otherwise. Alternate routes sometimes are necessary. Detours and what-not. Route 66 to the zillionth cosmic degree. Gaskets are blown, gears are stripped, and barricades are busted through as the Martian impulse pushes into new territory. Everything about this moment is new and it's playing out minute to minute from an unpredictable expulsion still not sure where to settle. The Uranian circuitry functions on a different frequency and takes some adjustment. Awakening and revitalizing are the aims and people are already exhausted trying to escape the shocks and stay asleep, or at least get plenty of breaks in the midst of the elevated excitement. Some people are afraid that the path is leading to some grand horror but aren't we already in one? Could it get worse? Of course. Will it? I'm not an expert in probabilities, so I can't say. Whatever unfolds, protective gear is always available.

I do trust Uranus, however, because I've had to given my personal situation. I have learned. And I'm not surprised when I'm surprised. Anger can be channeled well as a potent way to build strength and immunity and keep illness at bay. It can translate into bravery, release of potentially harmful pressure, and protection of others. But I will admit that even as an Aries, I'm still too afraid to slam a racquetball hard against the wall. I kick chair legs, though. Unintentionally.

Some people are opposed to anger and I can fully understand that. But look at your babies and children. It's a natural part of their emotional expression and they often do well with it. Why should we take the other sensations with us into adulthood and not include one of the main ones? A pillar. So this first step into Aries has lit the fuse of a ferocious energy that can eventually be contained and controlled by Saturn and Pluto. It might light up the environment even more than compact florescent bulbs.

Some people are afraid and that's OK. Surely there will be those who react badly to the energies and wander into dangerous terrain. No one says that you have to participate and go against your natural expressions if you are the peaceful and contented type. In fact, the more you stay that way the more you can care for the battle weary in your cool and scared gardens. But still, respect for their struggles is wise considering the electrochemical situation. And who knows that you might not turn out to be beneficiaries of this massive blowout when the new paths are defined?

The pressure mounts until breakouts can no longer be contained, and that's the motivating factor behind the tense cardinal squares and the increasingly confining outer circumstance. It can't be stopped until the consolidation of resistance is created. There's been loads of talk about the rebellious radical nature of Uranus so it should not be so surprising after all, especially if the crowd truly intends to smash up the status quo or otherwise obliterate it, as is so often stated.

Uranus is going retrograde now and maybe things will ease up as we wait and see what the well does and get ready to tackle the results. The timid and frightened, as unwilling as they are to join the fray, must realize that those in the vanguard should not and won't be pulled back by the undertow of fear. Pressures like weather patterns determine the mode of operation appropriate for the circumstance and there is collective agreement on some level that will be adhered to.

Cancer holds back or hides in the fear, Capricorn does what must be done, and Aries forges ahead valiantly. Libra is around, too, and recharging moments of peace will be available and highly appreciated, without a doubt. As a whole, we love the combustion engine with its sparking plugs more than anything in life, it seems. The collective is sparking and combusting now, as is the earth, and there probably won't be anything to halt this vehicle's progress. Jams are created to get out of. Things ratchet up in increments and as far as I've seen, there's reason to the rhyme. We invented the wheel for a purpose, although progress might not always be strictly linear. We've got a wreck on our hands. Somebody's got to take care of it. I think.

Discoveries in the Deep

2010-06-27T00:32:00.000-07:00

Pluto Opposite Venus-Jupiter in Cancer
Pisces and Neptune
Fallen Idols

I've come to think that the planets are neutral and the chemistry created when I interact with them is largely undetermined, although intuitive suppositions can probably be made. An uncommonly large disaster appeared out of the blue precisely when Pluto opposed the US Venus-Jupiter conjunction. Venus-Jupiter? Huh? Not good? Apparently not. Not yet.

By now people are beginning to recognize the magnitude of this event and there is a great deal more to come. Pluto to Jupiter is sometimes indicative of a jackpot but it can also mean the opposite -- bankruptcy. I'll begin with some personal recollection since my Jupiter dominated chart recently received the graces of Pluto by conjunction.

With my great Jupiter placements I was always an incorruptible optimist sometimes even tiptoeing into Pollyannaland. When Pluto approached my Jupiter at the end of my eighth house I lost almost everything of value and by that time my established philosophy of events working out well had been challenged enough to arouse some serious questioning. Jupiter governs world outlook, an important contributing factor to the quality of one's life. Pluto demolishes with the intention of delivering something better plucked from the underworld treasure trove. So ultimately it really is a jackpot.

At the end of the 8th I had relaxed somewhat believing that the worst was over, but I was wrong. Another death blow came exactly when Pluto conjoined Jupiter and the loss was complete. In a sense, I was relieved and accepted the final strike a little more easily than I did the previous disasters. I already knew that something would come to replace these endings. I trusted I would be rewarded, even more so if I embraced my fate and altered accordingly. It did take some fancy footwork.
Now I'm discovering as Pluto ends up in my ninth house that I'm left with a tempered philosophy, much more realistic and tolerant of pessimism and despair when those feelings are called for. The underlying optimism remains without having to dominate entirely, even choking out the less buoyant moments with customary Jupiterian bombast. They're perfect for the circumstances they apply to, these eager downers. I find this an improvement. A big one. Being a realist is refreshing in its newness.

With Pluto opposite USA Jupiter, it's simple to see the extent of loss going on. Its destination is still to be revealed. Considering the hole that opened up in the earth at 29 Pisces I must conclude that illusions are pouring out as a prerequisite to grappling with essential mundane realities during the Capricorn years. Jupiter and Uranus are only in Aries for a brief moment and the return to Pisces provides an opportunity to delve into the situation further. It will be awhile before forward motion is firmly established. What could these illusions be?

Many people are fantasizing about magical shifts in collective consciousness and true to Pisces, Christian philosophy and thoughts about prophecy are in high gear, part and parcel of the coming end of the Age of Pisces when Christianity's power will likely diminish. It's naive to think that big gifts will be bestowed upon humanity without the necessary steps required to earn them, considering all the Saturn in play. I think we can agree that the group as a whole has some more ground to cover. The view that evil people will suffer while the good are automatically redeemed and transported is the kind of attitude that guarantees you'll be left on the other side of paradise. The scarlet E plays tricks with the mind so the executioner's ax must be wielded carefully lest you yourself be judged by another's whim.

The idea that a savior is going to forgive the crowd for being lowly sinners will be antiquated as the Age of Pisces ends. Down in the earth under the sea, the release of some of these beliefs might be in motion and my wild theory combustion engine says that perhaps some of the shame and guilt of Christianity (and the others) is extruding from that sticky hole. You only need so much. If the savior doesn't come then I'll assume we're rid of some of it.

The fear of how big this catastrophe could get is real and Jupiter likes to exaggerate. Pisces likes paranoia and apocalyptic quivers are always exciting, but the chances for complete planetary devastation are probably slim. And if it did happen? It might turn out to be a good thing. We still don't know whether or not paradise is on the other side.

If the release is stopped in the fall as planned then naturally the men will be heroes and humans will feel protected again, but hopefully a thread of real understanding will be needled into the collective psyche. People resist the truth at first, but often after they've had a chance to digest and absorb the information, they keep and even treasure the knowledge and the confidence it imparts. Ideally this gem could be deposited by the crack and mighty extrusion, a startling reminder of cosmic powers, along with a gigantic breath of relief that we made it. This time. The reality of earth changes can't be denied any longer, but as we deal with each crisis one by one a stronger trust in the universe (Jupiter) is a possibility. Or at least a working relationship with it. Fear of annihilation is useless since we end up there anyway one by one.

The suffering and dying animals remind us of our own sorrow and helplessness and reality shows that some are rescued and some are not. There are no human god figures to save the entire species. We're soon to discover that we are more on our own that we thought, the teaching of Venus-Jupiter in Cancer (childhood, dependency, security) opposite Capricorn (adulthood and responsibility for the self), and this event is probably the trigger. The loss of livelihoods, generations of business, depreciation of real estate, and the obliteration of hundreds of years of tradition and decimation of familial roots on the coast are leading the way in this maturing process with the Aries planets illustrating the need to begin anew. Lots of dependencies could be severed in the coming years as the big issue of the time, Homeland Security (Cancer) is worked out. People all over the country are losing their homes and living arrangements are on the way to significant change. Pluto appears to be bent on busting up some nests as people learn to balance home with the world and reality in Capricorn.

So illusions of parental care are going down, part of why FDR references are so popular currently. The man came to the rescue when Pluto conjoined Cancer, but this time "Social Security" is disappearing and all that is implied by this. What new form of social security could be coming? Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe better. New networks of relationship (Venus) could be one. Saturn in Libra is handy for that.

It's hard to imagine the loss of societal safety nets and the impulse is to associate it with lack of caring (Cancer), but the ability to stand on one's own (Capricorn) has equally satisfying aspects as long as those who are unable to do so are covered. They usually are no matter what. Whatever agency pulls back the hand is replaced by another that gives. The competitive killer instinct is equal to the cooperative protective one and they balance themselves successfully as we go. As it's going now, the federal government is unable to provide and protect.

Once the initial insecurity of Cancerian loss is passed, the growth of maturity is sensed as a superior way of navigating the new and seemingly treacherous waters. The skill required to achieve that can bring substantial self esteem and people might eventually stop running helter skelter for someone else to clutch onto in times of trouble. Surfing the Net for parents, for example. Not always the place to find them. But maybe this will encourage an abandonment of the search and a more Libran style of intellectual exchange with Saturn in Libra coming soon. Without excess emotional demand (Venus-Jupiter in Cancer), clarity of thinking can make good information more accessible, and even some solutions. The Cancerian emotional overdo (Jupiter) could be harnessed for better use. Both love and hate sometimes get tiresome, while mere like is highly sustainable, even productive. And always enjoyable.

Another illusion is the success of war in acquiring energy. War takes an astronomical amount of oil and now that its extraction is becoming so hard and expensive, what are we to do? Probably fight harder at first, and toy with exploding the entire planet nuclearly, but humanity does seem to be killing less than it used to, with a sizable decrease in the last 30 years.

I've always thought that television with the escape it provides was the perfect symbol of the Age of Pisces. It's segued into computer screens but something whispers to me that there might be disappointment ahead with all the dependency occurring in that arena and the unbelievably high hope that humanity has at last found its new savior -- final protection from loneliness in the tribal glue of Cancer. Capricorn can make a body shiver sometimes but through that alienation comes a bigger togetherness in the final quadrant of the wheel. Perhaps we've made strides in that direction with these transits in that quadrant, but Aries indicates going out on one's own again and Capricorn suggests taking care of society responsibly after that's accomplished. Leaving the huddle in the cave for the cold cruel world is bound to appeal to a lot of people soon, although I admit that's hard for me to fully visualize.

The illusion of good government is definitely in that cosmic drain. The question of leadership should be addressed when Pluto opposes USA Sun but as a preliminary, the realization that we are without it now is important. Homo Erectus. Straightening up. Caring for the self. Uranus will return next spring but again goes back to 0 Aries at the end of 2011. It might arrive as a series of shocks as the full realization of governmental neglect comes into focus alongside a new found awareness of individual resourcefulness. A fair replacement for our naughty parents.

Perhaps the most important illusion going under is that of the American Dream and the belief that this country is the Promised Land, the greatest place on earth. The Jupiterian jackpot always delivers as the wheel spins merrily around, so the world believes. The land of opportunity where anyone can be a king. We're finding some unusual stops on that wheel again similar to the Great Depression. The difference now is that we don't have the promise we did then. We're depleted, depressed, and diminished in world status. The planet itself is under duress and the pot of gold is more illusive as it must be in these days of resource exhaustion. After the contraction of Pluto in Capricorn a more honest and successful approach to survival could be in our hands if all goes well. It could be, however, that big strides really won't be made until Pluto transits Pisces and the Age of Pisces transitions to the next great age. Pluto through Aries could be particularly strengthening. The replacement of the traditional American Dream with something more attainable, a bit more humble, would probably be a grand stress reducer. Living with less is becoming fashionable and could soon be all the rage. Watch for the books and talk shows. In the end, we'll know how.

If you use the Sibly chart then this transit of Jupiter is especially significant since it rules the Sagittarius ascendant. The ridiculous slapstick Ronald McDonald playland approach to life this country favors could use some deepening with wisdom added. The increase in antidepressants and the weight gain, water retention (Cancer) speak of an underlying sorrow that's hard for this happy go lucky society to wear on the surface. And most of all, if a little Plutonian redemption is possible, the superficial optimism that smiles at us from the magazine covers could be supplanted by a more genuine form allowing despair to breathe if need be, and becoming a little more appreciative of the truly good times. And knowing the difference. An adjustment of values with Pluto transiting Venus and Jupiter is in store. Finding satisfaction (Taurus-Scorpio) is an ongoing challenge. The source of resource. The pot of gold might turn out to be something other than financial success in this nation where historically everything has been judged by its profitability. Always a deal -- big, new, square or otherwise.

So little scary dwarf Pluto is digging into its transit of the United States Cancer stellium. First demolition then a chance to pull from the treasure trove. It's interesting to watch the mood fluctuations and already people are catching themselves, relaxing, and getting ready to deal with it. It's always a good thing when disaster stays outside your own cell wall. It leaves you in a good position to be of service. And the country's got a birthday coming up. What shall I give her?

News Junkie's Blues

2010-06-17T15:34:00.000-07:00

The Gemini-Capricorn Lunation

A handful of people are surprised, even distressed, by the sudden shift in attitude of their favorite television journalism stars. Some are delighted. Shall we call it change? There are several astrological factors contributing to this fresh development.

On June 12th the new moon occurred at 21 Gemini (communication, media) conjunct US Mars (attack) square Neptune in Virgo (illusion and criticism). As I wrote about before, Mars and Saturn are also in Virgo, and one of the objects of this criticism has moon in Gemini square Pluto in Virgo, as well as Mars in Virgo. A match made in heaven. Or hell as it feels to some.

The extent of criticism is disquieting to those who are used to The Speeches (Gemini) being sermons on the mount guaranteed to arouse ecstasy. But things are different now and the withdrawal can sometimes mimic a junkie's pain. The country has a disaster of near biblical scope in progress, and a heavy hitting full moon eclipse at 4 Capricorn exactly conjunct Pluto, close to a cardinal cross, is due on the 26th. Hard reality will have its way. And the rebellious wrongdoers will soon show sufficient humility, if only briefly. Then you can catch your breath. May I suggest taking a deep one.

Uranus is the entity often associated with comedy and with Jupiter and Uranus conjunct in Aries, some broadcasters are juiced with speed, vitality, and nerve. They are surpassing their normal boundaries, but lectures are being dispensed and Gemini has a short attention span, so things will calm down and change again, all for the better since Saturn in Virgo demands criticism and will get it.

The ridicule can make some unhappy especially not having built an immunity yet. When I was young we had topical comedians and musicians who mocked the politicians relentlessly. Everyone got it and we loved it. There's been a sad absence of this kind of humor and music in our society lately and it could be that Uranus in Aries will bring a renaissance of social consciousness to the arts. It can be offensive but release in the belly helps one endure the blows of reality. You'll see. Comedy is one of the very best potions for hard times.

For those of you who are stunned and hurt by your sudden twist of fortune, this is a perfect opportunity to consult your own source of confidence and not be so influenced by what others say. Aries. Strength and immunity. The object of devotion will bounce back anyway as shared enthusiasm comes and goes in the rhythm it loves. The rebels are needed.

A Sucker's Rapture

2010-06-16T16:24:00.000-07:00

Son of a Beach

Oh you kids. You silly kids are hopeless. For now. You fall for it every time and they count on it. It's fail safe. Too big to fail. It burdens my shoulder blades and the right side of my neck. I found this quote that sums up the latest in a sunflower seed shell.

"The speech was part of a three-day public relations campaign, including a two-day tour of the Gulf and Wednesday’s White House meeting with BP’s chairman and CEO, designed to cover up the preparations for a filthy deal with BP. That deal will likely include a temporary delay by BP in paying out billions in shareholder dividends and the setting up of an escrow fund that will limit the company’s liabilities to a small fraction of the real cost of the disaster for which it is responsible."

Yes. A sweetheart deal for the now extremely famous British Petroleum company, etched into our consciousness by the master engraver. BP. You bet your BP. It's always about money. A 20 billion dollar pacifier just got shoved ceremoniously into your mouths and it really is sweet, isn't it?

Never mind that the hole is spewing more than ever with cracks in the ocean floor, gas bubbles forming, and the well itself approaching ruin. The beaches and coastal areas are a mere speck compared to the deeper destruction occurring under the surface away from the shores. Modern technology has just been registered helpless but there's always money.

Never mind that BP escapes all responsibility for their criminal behavior and gets to return to business as usual paying out spare change that they conveniently just snatched from their shareholders. The BP big shots are celebrating as was predicted. Done deal.

Here's a little quiz. Who's going to pay the real trillion dollar cost of fixing this little blooper? Hmmm? The answer is upside down.

Anyhoo, it'll be all right. It has to be. Now back to that pain in my neck.

Me and Jupiter

2010-06-14T14:56:00.000-07:00

I have no recourse but to chuckle sometimes when people tie themselves into anxious knots trying to be positive. It's a sure sign that they are masking their own fears about negativity, which is understandable. Curmudgeons are not always popular.

It is a fact, however, that hanging around unhappiness, sharing misery and what not, can train you to be less overcome by the normally occurring bad experiences of living. Theoretically. The brain is wired toward negativity and some people relish the downside, others run and hide, some sugar coat and wait to be rescued, and the lucky few wise ones take it in stride. Most of us have experienced trauma and completely recovered. Many times. A voice in us knows that it's likely to come again. How often does it take before we have confidence? Before we trust in the overall cosmic mechanism?

Positive is positive and doesn't need proof or dictatorial enforcement. It bubbles naturally. Some are eager to castigate other humans, ejecting them from the inner sacred circle of good dare they defy the ruling. Some look to the planets to bail them out, Jupiter being a traditional favorite. Some become millionaires teaching you how to improve your bad attitude, but most seem to live on a diet of anti-depressants in one form or another, trying valiantly to keep up.
Astrology used to be inclined toward hocus pocus in its strict lines separating good and evil planets, but things are changing and the structured systems of old are being blasted away. Assumptions about positive and negative work best when kept in good ratio. And predictions about outcomes are best grasped with a loose and flexible hand. A moderate investment.

Picture this. I have moon conjunct Jupiter in Sagittarius on the 9th house cusp, the only thing above the horizon, the tip of a kite formation shooting out into the universe. The moon rules my Cancer Sun. I am a leaping fire-breathing embodiment of Jupiter and I'm familiar with the entity's behavior. Depending on when I was slapped, Jupiter seems to be just on the 8th house side meaning arcane information is at my beck and call with a deep feeling connection to the planet's character, added to by the moon placement. I have a good disposition, but man, I can be negative (Jupiter inflates that too). It's usually a passing Cancer mood and doesn't affect my overall philosophy, which is, "So what. I'll figure something out." C-est la vie and Que Sera Sera, as Doris Day sang so pointedly with her good intonation.

"You believe in the goodness of life," they say about my planets. Yes, that's right. But the goodness is not what you think it is. I believe in a benevolent force in the universe that I can easily access, not that experiences are necessarily "good." Upbeat times are a lead-in to unhappy ones and vice versa. So in ways the low ones contain more hope. It never fails to swing. Since I believe that I control very little in the world, and that most of it is in invisible hands, I have no choice but to trust it. I'm kind of stuck.

Experiences are all valuable to me, as long as I don't pass out, and my positivity rests on my view that things make sense. The sequence is just right as it is. Sometimes the terrible things give back the most gain ultimately. It's what you call being an opportunist. I don't demand that life be a certain way since I've discovered that it does what it does, and no matter what, I'm protected on my safe journey to my death. If I sort of dance with it it twirls me around with adequate gentleness, and not being good at leading, I have a tendency to relax into my partner's arms. I'm easy, if a bit too slow.

It's all in the game and my metaphysical position is that I came here and this is what I got. It's not that things are good, because they're not. It's a matter of contrast. Negative is an equal part of it. Plus and minus create energy and electrical flow -- life's movement. Jupiter calls the individual to live fully not tarrying long enough to decide if it's good or bad. Enthusiastic participation is the key, and the Jupiterian knows that one thing begets another. Experience itself is good.

We hook on to externals as a reflection of something going on inside which is why some people feel the pain more than others at any given time. Frightfully negative events are always happening and each individual reacts uniquely, and that can change from minute to minute with fleeting moods. There is no ordered way of behaving. If someone seems too detached to another, then maybe the one who needs emotion is missing sympathy in their own lives. If another is crying copious tears maybe they are feeling a little too sorry for themselves and could use some high and dry separation. And as I said, some who insist on brushing it off with a positive attitude could be afraid of their own negatives. It could be a missed opportunity with a chance to take a little walk through the dark night of the soul for some added feeling. The collective emotion is important but the way it hits is usually a symbol of the personal. It's a perfect road map to self understanding and even directional choices, this personal reaction. Searching for others to rescue you from yourself only works momentarily.

The more the negative is denied, the less likely the positive will flow in for contrast and balance. They actually work well together, with all the angles there are in any situation. The philosophical comprehension of experience works perfectly with Jupiter. Rolling with the punches maintains the identifying joviality and volatile spirit of Jupiter and Sagittarius. Fearing trouble excessively is completely useless. A healthy respect works quite well. It comes to everyone and we're equipped to handle it. Big trouble often comes unannounced anyway. It loves that.

Hope doesn't depend on people or even events. It's a trust in circumstance, good and bad. One knows the wheel is always turning around and things work themselves out. And now Pluto's after more, parking himself on our country's Jupiter as he has been. The trip through Sagittarius didn't fully do it. I agree it was short. Positive is not what you might think it is, but it's always there, often riding bareback on a negative.

You recall Pluto at the end of Sagittarius? Remember the soaring wave of optimism? Heights like that generally follow a path downward. Jupiter also deflates as easily as it inflates and long term positive can go missing. But short term is always available.

Jupiter's ebullience rode itself out nicely and now that Saturn is settling in, the future has taken on a different tone if one cares to speculate. Not quite as nonsensically enthusiastic. Neither pleasant nor malevolent can label the future at this point. You know it's going to be both. We select what we will.

While it's necessary to have a vision of better times, it's equally important to study current realities. And those who believe magic is going to exonerate the crowd could easily feel the same way when they get to the destination -- frustrated, probably depressed, and looking for better times. Future bailouts. And the fact of the matter remains ... things are good enough now in some ways and wisdom suggests banking on the assets already in hand, if I may use the B word. One of those assets is a place for ethical behavior in the human psyche that doesn't ever go away. The ruthless and corrupt have their places, too, but Jupiter lets a lot of it slide. You know Sagittarius. "Water off a duck's back."

In the ninth house, after the deep interpersonal bonding of Scorpio and the eighth, the seeker becomes aware of a broader universe and the source of guidance is questioned. This leads her to god figures quite often, but the idea is to gain perception of so called higher realms. I just call them far out. I think we're led by an intrinsic systemic intelligence, but then again, I have a Moon-Joop in Sag. I've not found individual humans to be accurate personifications of this intelligence as far as guiding humanity is concerned. So I don't follow them, and in some of my "negative" moods, I'm identified as an iconoclast. Yet I think every individual has this intelligence and guides her or himself perfectly as it pans out. The sum total of our individual destinies creates this wild collective experience and it's truly amazing running on automatic pilot like it does. Safety and goodness are relative. We are our own leaders, thankfully.

The reason I bring this up is because of the Pluto transit to US Venus and Jupiter, and the disaster that's occurred whilst the planet is nestled exactly between the two. I recently had Pluto to my Jupiter and in the next part of this discussion I'll tell you about it and why the country is positioned where it is and what possibilities are available.

Criticism and Humility

2010-06-10T00:19:00.000-07:00

Mars Saturn in Virgo

With Jupiter and Uranus briefly out of the way in Aries, the end of Saturn in Virgo is Pisces-free bringing a moment of clarity and seriousness as the country contemplates the dark sticky mess she's in. The long Mars retrograde in Leo did not deliver a dashing knight or a sun king. At least not in my neck of the woods.

The environmental catastrophe unfolding is an unusual event, a radical departure from the ordinary news item -- a week or two of blood flying amidst screams of agony as the public does its Dionysian dance with great excitement, relishing someone else's horror on their screens, lovingly described by euphoric pancaked glossed perfectly coiffed media stars. Even torture, a big big crowd favorite is back, but it's finding difficulty stealing the spotlight.
The creeping slow #1 story now is something they'd like to run away from but cannot. It's obvious that the oil disaster is coming from someplace deep in the collective body, and it's humbling. It lacks the circus element so often prevalent in the daily diet. And most of all it's missing the very favorite factor ... speed, followed by the magical disappearing act.
There's a lot more to come. Uranus and Jupiter will be returning shortly as we gradually figure out what to do with our sorrows. They're already drowned so a new approach is on that deep horizon. The event is gigantic and the magnitude still has to be determined.

Virgo is known for its lessons of humility along with necessary criticism. Everyone needs and gets it and Saturn is logical, concerned with the well being of the system, so those miscreants who have skirted around the discerning eye of Virgo are receiving more of it now as Saturn gets down to business and finishes the job.

Gone are the soaring experiences filled with promises and such rhetoric as, "America is back and ready to lead." Do you think so? America is being smeared. The "greatest nation on earth," as the misguided leaders like to shout, is appearing diminished at present. Criticisms are exploding as they should be with Saturn winding his heavy way through the final degrees of Virgo, Mars in tow.

As you might have noticed, the oil erupted at about 29 Pisces where Saturn is headed soon to form an opposition. The degree of the Iraq war chart. There doesn't appear to be any remorse for the acceptance of perpetual war. Quite the contrary. War spending is spinning out of control and the only confusion seems to be where to start the next one. It's as if the sewer dug to the Middle East has backed up in our own yard. Virgo recognizes the breakdown, contamination, and humiliation. And back to the criticism which is lacking when it comes to the act of killing strangers in their own homes. By remote control now. War and gas. Dirty business. Blood is supposed to stay in the veins. Blood spills are the source of countless diseases. Sometimes the stains are permanent.

Criticism is invaluable. It's the best medicine for correction and eventually development of great skill, a Virgo trait. When you include shortcomings with the positive aspects in your analyses you feel better. Waiting for the critical ax to fall is nerve frying and exhausting. A well rounded view can bring noticeable relaxation and relief. There's a sensation of maturity and completion when all angles are considered. Naturally, cold hard Saturn often judges uncomfortably but that leads to greater understanding and substantial pride concerning the objects of devotion and one's own self. Criticism is good. You learn to sift through it separating the wheat from the chaff, another Virgo favorite. A solid self esteem is unafraid of contradiction. And a full emotionally well tempered view has a tendency to be believed by others if that's your desire. Credibility increases with objectivity.

Out of the earth through the ocean floor a purge is underway. There are an infinite number of things spewing, but one collective factor is the Pisces illusion the United States has been clinging too since the change of government. With the planets in Aries for now, the false hopes are getting a chance to be released so a more substantial optimism can come by the time Pluto finishes the transit of US Jupiter. It's nice to think that addiction to oil could show signs of diminishing, and it is, really, but the change people want is going to take a very very long time. Self criticism is an excellent start. Organization (Virgo) of your own thoughts helps too, rather than following the daily attempted articulations of the famous. Sifting through the ego driven drivel to find words meant to honestly be of service to the crowd can be a full time job. But Saturn in Virgo can do it with Mars pushing diligently behind.

And speaking of Virgoan organization, the opposition to the ruling body is in an upswing as resistance to the status quo gets itself together, albeit slowly. We're learning that the Internet might be a helpful tool, but people are discovering that more is needed. The sitting position can be an impediment if not mixed with standing up and moving the feet where that's possible. And some cohesive glue for the progress oriented might come out of the sticky mass as they lift themselves up from being stomped on and flattened.

Virgo is the worker bee and it's not at all surprising that labor unions are suddenly in the news. Jobs have been a major area of concern in the last couple years and as Saturn finishes, the reality of their importance to overall economic health is coming into focus. In the chip is the urge to be useful aside from the greed and maniacal money grab that seems to prevail these days. At least people might be comprehending the value of having a good job as thoughts of a full economic rebound have all but been abandoned for now. The governmental attitude toward job creation and union support has been lax to say the least and this is likely to create response among the commoners as Saturn slips out of Virgo. There are some signs of increased job opportunities, however, and people are eager to have them again. One benefit of recent times is the rethinking of what many people really want to do with their lives workwise. Some smart and fortunate ones have begun to do what they always dreamed of as a result of losing careers. With Aries-Capricorn it's even easier to get motivated in those directions.

Digestion also comes under the auspices of Virgo and with slow steady Saturn the process is ongoing. Little by little people can absorb the information from this catastrophe and purify in some way while the years of correction ahead wind their path through collective experience. Ideally when digestion is complete, health is established, as the body takes what is necessary and discards the rest. Not many can do that well as evidenced by our country's lack of health, but each person who succeeds adds to the possibility that one day the whole society can hum along with precision like the "well-oiled" machine it's meant to be!

Anyway, it's clear that we're stuck in a toxic sludge cream pie with poisons throughout the system, not just in the well. It's not a time for no criticism, that's for sure. You can leap to the future for deliverance if you'd like, but by facing the reality head on, not shying away, rationalizing, finding excuses, covering up, sugar coating and all those pleasant things, the chances for that better future are markedly improved. At the same time the humble Virgo rituals of clean and healthy living can be readied as a replacement. Not to forget that Uranus and Jupiter will be back in Pisces for some last minute escape momentarily. There truly is a lot of work ahead, and when Saturn transits Libra a sense of balanced proportion can be cultivated regarding the good and bad of it all. Everybody owns both.

I used to realize how bad I was so I tried to be good. Then I saw that I was pretty good after all but the bad kept popping up apparently indiscriminately. So I gave up and started playing it by ear. I do lean toward too much self criticism but that's how I got good! If you call it a critique it digests better.

Top Kill: A Cosmic Ramming

2010-05-30T01:02:00.000-07:00

The Individual Versus the State
Aries Square Capricorn

Top Kill. What a perfect symbol for the entrance of Uranus into Aries square Capricorn. An epic butting of heads. The earth rams up and man rams down trying to force something into a hole. The hole isn't buying.

Aries is thrust. Remarkable thrust. Extreme push against resistance. This clash of wills at Deepwater Horizon has departed from the usual script in Uranian tangential fashion while people are rattling in their familiar patterns not knowing yet how to feel about it all. Uranus is electrical, as I've experienced it. Aries is mechanical. Charged up. This provides an opportunity to find your own precise source of drive if you would like to set off on to new paths.

The shocking reality of this dump needs time to sink in and the retrograde of Uranus back into Pisces provides the opening. Saturn just went direct in Virgo when Top Kill got killed, so now some fix is advisable. Plenty of Virgoan analysis will certainly be on the menu in these last weighty days of Saturn. And much thought about purity, poison, filth, cleanliness, chaos, order, and so on. Cleanup indeed.

And so comes the kickoff for the will of the lower strata of society to thrust against the upper established controlling body. Body building. Muscle and bone. The continuation of the system demands it, since the top is too heavy and weak. Topkill.
What complicates it is the fact that the dreaded authority resides within each person and that's the ultimate goal of the Aries-Capricorn transit -- to get a strong working relationship established between ourselves and our own ruling bodies. It's called self discipline.

You might say the extrusion from the well is like the uncontrolled grasping for wealth of big business which is now synonymous with government. Or it might represent the uprising of the underclasses. American citizens are beginning to feel that the ruling body's job behavior might be threatening their own survival. Especially since they, themselves, don't have jobs.

In Aries square Capricorn, the individual muscles against the system fighting for autonomy against constriction, bureaucracy, authority and all obstacles in one's path to the chosen destination. Ram it, bat it, push it, punch it, kick it, fight it if necessary. Aries is on a mission.

But with Capricorn, the usual Aries fast arrival is delayed as the seeker continually encounters opposition in order to learn control, expertise, and eventually mastery, where the eager birth of ambition in Aries goes through an organized system to become a functioning part of the whole machine and the individual/society learns how to battle effectively with the Martian impulse.

Both levels of the machine's system are in distress, that is, if you arbitrarily divide society between the rich and the not rich. I think the oil geyser represents everyone. The fat greedy plutocracy or the fat greedy proletariat. Largely anti-depressed. I think that's it! We're in an anti-depression!

But here's the crux. Aries is impulse and the urge to act upon every one instantaneously is sometimes overwhelming, if not trouble-making. The individual must learn that measured application of thrust and determination might serves one's purpose better. Aries-Capricorn. Impulse control. Proud self discipline. I am my own boss. When that's cultivated, there is no longer a need for oppressive government.

Deepwater Horizon

2010-05-25T05:55:00.000-07:00

Reality's Blowhole

I mentioned earlier ... last week, in fact ... that 90% of the sea floor is unexplored. The fear of depths looks to be justified if recent events are any indication. There's also logic behind the fact that the ocean has been protected from man's intrusion and three quarters of the earth's skin is virgin territory. Intimidating.

Deepwater horizon? A new frontier? A port hole from this vessel we're stuck in? A peek into hidden realms? Pluto in Pisces should spin an interesting tale as man is bobbing about on the precipice of extensive deep sea oil extraction. It's proving to be somewhat treacherous to the newcomer. Forces of gravity and magnetism are gigantic as the center of the earth is approached. It all points to an awakening of rather grand proportions. Uranus simply breaks established boundaries and the Pisces port hole has been busted up as the sea under the sea rushes out. Life on earth. The chosen planet. So who's in charge?

We're at 29 Pisces, down in deep water, where some huge beast in the collective psyche is shaking loose, revealing our discomfort. It's real and it hurts. The eerie black water flowing on to the desolate beaches brings to mind the fundamental loneliness all human beings feel not knowing where they're going, always looking for someone out there to lead them on, forever forgetting that they got this far safely with everyone's guidance. Leadership is a game of musical chairs.

Aries is physical birth and the collective birth from Pisces into a new go-round is distinctly thrustsome. The elements of gravity and pressure are making themselves known in a divergent way expanding the ordinary mind. Earthly concerns are in the spotlight even eclipsing the current human pantheon. Familiarity with survival instinct is budding as it does in Aries, necessary to live in the material realm. Sharpening up. Becoming more alert and aware. Honing.

The saline environment the developing human is initially at home in, and the urgent force behind its expulsion into the world remind me of Deepwater. When a child is born, it has to be prepared to face a sudden reality with challenges of what you might call biblical proportions. It doesn't understand what's happening, where pain originates, when it will end, what to do, and if it'll be alive the next second. A myriad of experiences overwhelms the creature like this so somewhere prior to birth we must have built the strength and aroused the survival instinct enough to get through the chambers of the unfamiliar until we become more conscious of what, how, why, and where and manufacture some ersatz control.

Instinct cannot be overestimated as Neptune knows. This soggy nation also has Neptune on her Moon now so the waterworld is especially vast, not to mention the mutual reception between Uranus and Neptune adding further to the deep sea adventure.

Uranus comes out of Pisces. And so our instinct for self preservation is awakened via a scary trip down under, uniting with potency in order to take the next swing around the wheel. The monster we created has turned on us threatening the very survival it was supposed to ensure. We're always wandering into these tense moments.

Just in time. Aries-Capricorn. Rage against the system. Coming up. Something helpful should come out of it all just by the law of averages. The vigor of Aries, and Pluto plunging in and out creating suction and thrust, should be enough to produce something.
As a whole, I think the crowd has been sort of floundering around waiting for this and that, hoping, hoping, hoping, or something identified as such. Maybe a little forgiveness and redemption are in order in the depth of Pisces, and of course, sorrow, but overall, the will to push out takes over, marking the entrance into life and the beginning of the wheel. In Pisces an encounter with the void, the overpowering universe, the helplessness, the apocalyptic, and all of that probably scare us just enough to get out there and deal with it. The immediacy and vulnerability of birth. Human against the electromagnetic waves and particles of the physical dimension.

I figure if I got in I can get out. This jam, that is. Like the Labyrinth that traps one forever in its maze, or the kind that takes you around in circles until you think you've seen the light and you are gently deposited on the outside. I can usually find the exit but it doesn't really lead me anywhere. Out and in, in and out. I've always been perplexed by that. Am I trying to get in or out? So I became an absurdist.

Meanwhile, Pisces doesn't care a pomegranate seed about the future. It's too busy living in awe of cosmic existence beyond the troublesome details people can never figure out. The Now is more than sufficient. But trying can numb the brain, perhaps, providing some relief for that voracious beast.

You might say that this ejaculation from middle earth is part of the collective's potency as a potion for the exhaustion of fighting the false enemy du jour and ideally getting involved in some act of creation, maybe even suitable production and an honest conversation with earthly reality.

The enemy has just turned some Protean trick, it looks like, taking strange forms while new fronts keep opening up in unexpected places. Maybe one day we'll be so utterly dizzy from following it, we'll just lay down the sword and say, "Slay me if you must." The enemy could easily do a double take and give up itself. Then what?

Vague Understandings

2010-05-18T16:42:00.000-07:00

Demons from the Deep
Awakening at 29

Pisces is one of the many baffling signs of the zodiac. Some are of the opinion that Neptune's dream state is a sort of Candyland with spun sugar, rainbow hued things, and long sought after kindness from other humans. These ideals do exist, but so does everything else in the infinite inner dimension of the sea god. Pisces is all inclusive. The entirety of earthly experience is discovered and the visions can be as frightening and ugly as they are sublimely beautiful. And easily intoxicating.

The duality of material existence leads the seeker to an allowance for all variations and ultimately to freedom from judgement and to the knowledge that experience in every form is essential to the whole. When the opposites plug in and fuse, the integration creates the combustion of enlightenment. Evil becomes good becomes awful and the ebullient unfolding takes precedence over the exhausting effort to compartmentalize, define, compare, contrast, and separate everything, thinking that rejection or acceptance will somehow really make a difference in the end. The futility of human machinations becomes apparent. The whole thing actually works as is.

Before the recognition of futility in Pisces is the last hope of control in Aquarius, at the end of the wheel, where surrender to cosmic regulation is the option that beckons. Maybe a somewhat fatalistic sensation accompanies this moment and the burden can be released with the sorrow included.

Uranus as ruler of Aquarius is at the end of the cycle now and the "circumstances beyond our control" method encountered in Aquarius becomes useful in Pisces when the individual is ready to genuinely relinquish management. And that's just what has happened as the dark monster emerges from the ocean coming to strangle the United States. Endless warfare for the modern hominid.

Pisces represents the collective subconscious. And would you believe? Three quarters of the earth is ocean and almost 90% of the floor is unexplored by man. How afraid humans are of their inner worlds which are just as alien as those in outer space.
But at 29 Pisces, the deep dimensions are waking people and monsters up in that inimitable surprising Uranian way. The eruption into infinity with no knowledge of the destination. The whirley-whirl. The experience of surrender is up for grabs before battery-charged bee line Aries takes the baton. Point A. Muscular Aries.

The illusions and hidden workings of Neptune are beautifully illustrated in the telling of this story as so much of the sea monster is unknowable snaking mysteriously below the surface revealing bits and pieces slowly. The deceptive government cover ups are also being blown apart by this unstoppable black demon determined to bring a measure of truth to the collective. The slow speed makes for incremental absorption and possible real illumination as the tendency to run away to new distractions keeps failing. Chances are the tale will be telling itself for many months to come as Uranus hovers at the 29th degree. Uranus leaves the degree for good next year just as the Sun leaves Pisces. Plenty of time to grasp the vague understanding, replacing the helpless sorrow with renewed determination, marrying the subconscious information with conscious observation, action now motivated from a deep instinctual place of self preservation affecting personal stories as well.

The fossilized fixation reminds me of alcohol addiction and the 12 step program with its "let go and let god" creed. Something has let go, that's for sure. Something tells me that the business of oil isn't exactly going to be the same after this. I've taken to my feet, personally. A full blooming nervousness has descended in that good old Uranian fashion. The 12th step/house has been reached. Help me god.

Salvation. Another Pisces favorite. I don't really see one on the Deep Water Horizon, do you? One couldn't walk on the water anyway under the present circumstances. We'll be rescued as we always are in some way just in time. It really is miraculous. Unless you're a woolly mammoth in the Ice Age.

The power of the earth has also been telephoned in and with that the reminder of the universal entities we share our world with, back to the humbling, ego tampering, "you are but a mere relatively powerless speck" message of Pisces. We've stopped for a brief moment in our tracks, I think, to contemplate a few things.

Gushing and emotion. No doubt about it. Get it out before Aries comes kicking away sentimentality and tears in preparation for some physical action. I think we're in the beginnings of seeing how important actions are going to be. 29 Uranus sits in all charts. Explosions and subsequent gushes from each emotional body are occurring universally. Making room.

Pisces and the 12th house cover karma and this does seem to be an opportune time to reflect upon cause and effect.

On the question of culpability.
Who exactly has been guzzling this oil for so many years? Whose hunger rules? The greedy corporations or the human animal in its primal need for nourishment. In Pisces the lines become so terribly blurred that blame becomes hard to assign. So much so, that one gets to the point of giving up -- the aim of nonjudgmental Pisces. It's nobody's fault. It is what it is and we're here where we are, headed to who knows where? How did we get in this predicament? On a shipload of history.

The oil needed out. Who knows that it didn't draw the oil company down there to do the job? Contracts are made on many levels in obscure dimensions. Who knows that the oil trapped in the earth isn't using humans to extract it? This is not to say that that there isn't wrongdoing on the mundane level, naturally.

Maybe our mistakes are vital to evolutionary growth. Maybe everything is actually correct just the way it is. Do we learn from our misdemeanors and crimes? I know that we all commit them. They add up to what you have now. The real fault lies with no one in particular. Unless you consider yourself.

The 12th house encourages people to ponder who and what is imprisoning them since no one truly escapes the confines. Why the confinement and is the self undoing of Pisces inevitable? So a new self can crack out.

Humans can't control the cosmos nor even make clear analytical judgements in the long run since everything that occurs is simply the system surviving in the way that it does. Catastrophes are an ongoing part of the system's technique and it repairs itself as it goes. If the oil leak didn't occur now, some other disaster would happen elsewhere as pressures rise and fall in a universal cadence often overwhelming to the little creatures called people who have some cockamamie concept of their power and divinity that seems to fail them regularly, although they hit the mark just often enough to keep believing. Right now at 29 Pisces, a moment of humility has sort of dominated, but glorious victories are around the bend and might will again rise as the group cleverly gets itself out of the latest jam and predictably back into another. Squeeze and release. The peristalsis of the cosmic body.

The oil will quiet down when it's ready, drilling will continue, and new methods of fueling human existence will be developed bringing fresh problems just as daunting. One problem begets a solution which gives birth to another problem in this ongoing puzzle. Everyone gets what comes.

Remember the bubbling burning earth, the dinosaurs, the population reducing ice ages, and all those events? Sometimes I think homo sapiens have come to think the earth has calmed down and now they are in charge of all activities determining the unpredictable planet's future. Sometimes I wonder about human beings.

The world is full of just about everything in a grand disorder as Pisces enjoys, and people pick and choose in Virgo, completing the polarity. With so much lurking below in the great subconscious it's hard to know how much control a person has. We certainly consume a lot of fossil fuel manipulating the wheel in the driver's seat. Food chains continually re-arrange as populations of living creatures diminish and die out with changing supplies and revitalize in times of abundance. Natural cycles. Even the so-called man made changes are included in the cycles. Aren't we part of nature? We're coming around to that realization so it appears.

Some people like to warn of doom and perhaps annihilation, others paint a rosy rainbowed gumdrop picture, and some take it as it comes with no particular expectations. Some fabricate time frames and some lose their memories. Some ride the Wild Mouse every summer. The universe continues on its merry way and all things adjust. Whatever is driving this thing probably does not depend on earthly oil, so I think we're safe for now.

"Whatever," as your favorite Piscean says.
"Go with the flow."

The Center of the Universe

2010-01-31T01:53:00.000-08:00

Bull's Eye: Mars Pierces Leo

Back in time, I had a lengthy involvement with a mega Leo -- Sun, Ascendant, Venus, and Neptune. There was never a dull moment, as is so often the case with this lively sign, and the continuous dramatics kept me busy, always energizing my life.

It's interesting when an other becomes the center of one's external world. It happens easily -- children, lovers, musicians, the goldfish, a chair.
My dreamboat, when I was a teen, was the sprightly singer, Bobby Rydell. Wild One being his big hit.
I shakily got his autograph one night in Vegas sparking the thrill of a budding lifetime.

As it happens, sometimes around expressive dominant people you might misplace something of your own spark. Ideally, the light and heat of Leo motivate people to find their own centers of illumination, and great creativity can be aroused, with care taken not to neglect that point of significance.

Mars retrograde in Leo is a sharp reminder of this singular battery of the self, and I think the long transit offers knowledge of personal importance, delivering familiarity with our own healthy egos, regardless of achievement. Leo is proud just because.

With Capricorn, from my perspective, I see that the conflict between pride of accomplishment and the birthright of self esteem is in the limelight, and maybe that's why things aren't getting done.
Maybe it's not the time for great feats, but rather a time for recognition of self confidence in just about everyone. Until someone figures out what's going on, let alone what to do. I'm in no hurry.

Who validates my greatness? Are we kings and queens or are we servants, and aren't they really equal in the eyes of the healthy self? Why the fear of being crushed and overpowered? Where is its source? Who's boss? You know how bossy Leo can be. Yeah! Who in hell is the boss?

These are some of the questions that surface when the individual maps the search for solar power. Once that's discovered the mythological grandeur of the group comes within sight, since all can recognize their worth as an essential part of the story.

But alas. It's not so simple finding the path to the center of one's universe because you're already there. Weird? Right?

Bipolar Jellyrollin'

2010-01-28T01:32:00.000-08:00

La Danse De Jupiter

This Zoloftian society I'm an unwitting member of sure does like to swing. Being a child of the moon who loves a good party, herself, I know something about mood alteration, but this really takes the cake.

From my objective perch, Jupiter in Pisces thus far has been interesting. Shaking planets followed by the euphoric state of the American union. The days preceding the cosmic moment were filled with sorrow, despair, fear, and rage about said state of this misbegotten union, and then.... Kazooom!!! Spirits shot into a dimension even I'm not familiar with.
Change has returned, a day late, a dollar short.

Let the jelly roll and the future remain cognizant. Upside, downside, east side, west side. All around the town. Hopefully, spirits will crash on the grass. Or the croquet court.

Pisces is known for it's less than stable psychologies, often tampered with by the body in possession of the mind so fond of fanciful flights. Uranus in Pisces really excites the consciousness, but that's been going on for awhile. Now Jupiter has sent the jellyfishes on yet another rocketing hyperbolic ride, but what the heck. Reality can wait. Depression can be great fun.

Just because I care, let me let you in on a little secret. This is between you and me. It's not what it's all cracked (!) up to be. I know how orgiastic some of you are about the Supreme Court dissing, but it's the last thing in the world this child should have done, and it won't make any difference anyway. The president in training has a Saturn in Capricorn, hidden in the 12th house, unseen by most. You astrology followers have the luxury of insight. He has no business not showing respect for the establishment he so longs to climb the ladder of, Aquarian planets notwithstanding. He's got a lot to learn, as we all do. Change is relative. And it doesn't have to wait for students of the system. But it's good to see things shaken up a bit.
Fear of the Supreme Court is part of this fantasy too. Will the real father please stand up? Or will you howl in self created pain until they become nice Democrats who most assuredly aren't interested in big business advantage? You're stuck with yourselves, you know. Heavens. Sometimes I want to give up. People. Peephole. Peepill.

Election monsters' stomachs are growling for corporate food. Who's foolin' who as the jelly rolls? Where is rhyme and reason? Oh, forget it. Just put another nickel in. Jupiter just got here.

Anyway, here I am wondering just how far to go into this bipolar madness that promises to continue for the time being. I'm exercising more self control than in previous incarnations, but I could be missing something. Or everything. It's hard to tell.

Alls I know for certain is, "It's jelly jelly jelly cause jam don't shake like that."

Theatrical Thoughts

2010-01-27T14:18:00.000-08:00

I've never liked any of my presidents. Now that I'm getting old I've pretty much abandoned the idea, although miracles occasionally occur.

They dominate the stage with lackluster acts, pushing out much more fascinating and attractive humans who are more intelligent and wise.
I've often wished one of the wise ones would lead the hapless citizens, but they don't, which is probably part of their wisdom.

I was raised in a progressive family, all of them politically active. Family gatherings were threaded with many political discussions, but oddly, little was said about the leaders. It was mostly ideas, and a lot of anti-war talk. I got used to this absence of hero attention, although I did join in the obligatory hatred of Republicans. I was obedient until I moved out West and realized I didn't want to carry the hatred with me anymore, so I dropped it. I probably wouldn't marry one, though. But then I'm not all that keen on marrying anyone.

The first president I recall was Eisenhower and this was before I knew anything about politics. He bothered me not at all. But after him, they all irritated the hell out of me, and they still do. Always pleading, always whining for something I can't give them. I wish I could so they'd go into the office and get lost.

They all seem phony to me and I detest their bullshit speeches laced with bad poetry and cheap emotion. Last century they sounded a bit more erudite, but not enough for my tastes. Now they remind me of bad method actors, with lousy timing in the emotional waves. Too fast, too much, with crescendos I'd rather not rise with. The crescendos are especially awful to my musical ear.

I don't like liars, but that's my problem, since the world is full of them and it seems to be a prerequisite to success. I've never understood it. It seems so much more efficient and less troublesome to lay it out truthfully, but for some strange reason, people like to play this game. Love of theater, maybe. Not so much love of life. How can I blame them? Reality as it's normally represented needs some grease paint.

Anyway, I really do find them annoying. In the last few years, I caved in and gave them the attention they crave and it hasn't done any good. They're as confused as ever and the country isn't doing so good.

They honestly are irritating. Of course, if I had a gorgeous, bejeweled and dazzling thespian with a booming rich voice that reached the upper balconies (lines perfectly memorized), I might feel that leap of heart. Then I'd really be in trouble. Loving politicians is not a wise thing for me. Not at all. But that's just me.

Self Mastery

2010-01-25T01:33:00.000-08:00

The Source of Supreme Authority
Pluto in Capricorn

Now that the disintegration of Pisces is continuing, even increasing, it's an opportune time to look within for possibilities prior to the potentially active period coming soon. The earthquake that just exploded reality as Jupiter entered Pisces announced a good chance to forget non-creative thought, break some stilted patterns, maybe abandon concrete plans. Predetermined change is talked about extensively but not always easily materialized.

Greed, Corporate and Otherwise

Greed appears to be firmly wired into creatures at this point probably for logical reasons, one possibly being the lesson of evolution and mastery over temptation and destructive urges. I've known many Scorpionics who are concerned with control over appetites and some are good at it. The state of desire is more satisfying that overindulgence to these oddballs. They take in just enough, while using the energy of longing for creative purposes. I've noticed a lot of vegetarianism and abstinence in these circles, and Scorpio is the bridge from earthly delights to spiritual in Sagittarius.

The corporate monster is a collective creation. You are the ones who anthropomorphize the businesses, giving them personhood, by calling them evildoers who victimize you. The Supreme Court is a symbol reflecting that view. If you murder the conglomerates, they will gladly return from the source. Pluto is like that. There's an essential urge to cluster and grow in nature, often testing limits. Then there's the compulsion to externalize demons from within, hang them anywhere, I suppose so we can get to know them.

A relentless grasping for commodities beyond the immediate environs, astronomical indulgence in advertised suggestions, undying support of big business through purchases and investments in mutual funds, and love of pleasure palaces filled to the rafters with cheap goods all have created our present dilemma.

The practical solution is regulation within the many levels of human society, and Pluto (desire) in Capricorn (discipline) tells you how to do it. Self management, moderation, patience, delayed gratification, self respect, genuine admiration and criticism of people, adherence to the common good, and learning to let go, while correcting what can be improved are among the techniques. You are the master of yourself.

Hatred and Fright

The trouble with vitriolic blame rather than intelligent criticism is that it doesn't change anything. The evildoers continue, maybe even getting more hardened in their ways as a result. The refusal to respond with equal vituperation takes self control. At the same time, questioning of your own dogma is beneficial. The human mind is funny. It's difficult to know exactly what is right, since it's often a matter of conjecture.

Are people going to follow these automatic reactions instead of applying honest evaluations with radically new courses of action? If so, I'll have to go. Hope, e-mails, and mud pies are not likely to bring a futuristic revolution of any substance. Is it really the business monsters' fault? Is it any one's fault? Is it really wrong? One thing leads to another in a sequence we humans can't really perceive accurately. Political climates come and go until, if there is such a thing as evolution, each individual learns to govern its self.

One of the most valuable lessons is mastery over excessive fear. Maybe Pluto is spooking the crowd in order to achieve this some day. Dependence on illusions can increase panic since they are ultimately stripped leaving you exposed and extremely insecure. Pluto is fond of the naked truth without pretension, whether it's true or not. It's often a relief to give up and relax, taking circumstance as it is. The chatter about how dangerous a situation looks can sometimes be ignored. Frequently the heightened fear of the future is a mask over the boring nature of daily life. Thrills to cover the knowledge that the "thing" never really happens. Existence is largely routine.

It's Not About Obama

This person is not the problem and he's not the solution. The scope of the centuries old history of this country due for judgement in Capricorn is beyond the president. He can tag along if he wants to, tethered to his teleprompter, while some take advantage of the opportunity to become more independent, self-sufficient, and discerning in electing leaders, while developing some mastery over the political process.

The Troublesome Possible Future if Paradise Decides Not to Come

It's natural and enjoyable to predict in order to control the future, but the future is being created as we go, with guidelines, maps, blueprints, etc., to follow loosely. I've noticed that the future acquiesces to my dictates only on occasion, but maybe that's my doing. Self mastery includes keeping an eye on the blank parts of the slate thus giving the individual more say in the matter.

I've come to think I do exactly what I want to do, live like I want to live, like it or not, and I assume the collective does too. There's enough power to go around and as much as one needs can be had at any time. But agony can be enjoyable for some when Pluto promises who knows what from the supreme authority at hand.

Fissures and Schisms

2010-01-20T01:34:00.000-08:00

It's awe producing when the earth throttles mankind in a brief moment of awakening. A sudden cracked opening allows a universe to rush out and even though the group quickly covers it up and tries to return to normal, something remains visible. Many barriers are being considered for demolition these days, with Pluto and Saturn in fragile partnership and nervous Uranus on the way.

One boundary broken in Haiti was that between the rich and the poor. Close to all of the wealth is owned by the upper 1%, but the quake hit every stratum in one moment of equalization. Now the habitual layering is coming back into place, but the classes did a double take and information about global inequity came pouring out of the split.

And speaking of equal, who is singled out by the universe for these hits and why? Another puzzle never answered. Some people really believe in chance, or so they say, others do not. Everyone wonders in moments like this, counting their lucky stars that their own lives are secure.

Jan. 12, 2010, 4:39 PM, Port-au-Prince, Haiti

The chart of the event reveals some interesting facts. Once again Cancer (rising) tells the tale in its persistent search for safety. The Cancer-Capricorn axis is appearing so often I believe some instructions will get absorbed. Catastrophes teach that there is never a full guarantee, yet at the same time, some protective entity always shows up alongside providing relief, aid, and comfort. Fears born of the struggle for survival and what people will do, both bad and good, emerge to help us remain aware and realistic about the good and bad characteristics of human beings in general. The ability to survive and endure is potent.

In this chart Saturn is at the foundation and the square to Pluto shook the structure of the nation from the depths of its nadir. People buried alive (Pluto) in their own architecture (Saturn). There are shaky structures planet wide due for toppling, some violently, some without physical violence. Humans build, build, and build to have it all come down with the passage of time. The height, strength, and massive weight of architecture is testimony, I think, to basic collective insecurity. The mental and psychological structures are included in this rearrangement, if not paramount. The lessons around Cancer-Capricorn question how people build security, both at home and in the world.

The responsibility shown by the Capricorn stellium which Saturn disposits describes a contract between people (7th house) that assures propriety and morality, at least by some, and the structural pillar of solid relationship -- Saturn in Libra at the base. An eclipse triggered the configuration, and it's been said that eclipses expose a shadowy side of the collective psyche, so I think some recognition of human wrongdoing accompanied the tragedy. I found it very interesting that colonial and corporate crimes were discussed as well as the obvious natural disaster. An element of responsibility was experienced in an attempt to share the act with nature.

By now many of you are becoming familiar with the deeds that rich and powerful countries have done to control Haiti, the USA included. The Capricorn planets show this collective guilt and a moment of reparation, since there's been talk of what is owed to the people. Some are assuaging guilt by donating large sums of money that many are confused about in terms of whether they, themselves, deserve these fortunes or not. But even if acquired by hook or by crook, the money is being dispersed.

This is illustrated by the Aquarius stellium in the 8th house of shared resources, once again demolishing the structure of separation. All classes of people worldwide are contributing. Money and greed as the evil that created the hardship is now the saving grace as well as a source of new temptation. So the duality is clearly depicted, a reminder of the importance of human choice. Resources are flowing out of their confines, further breaking boundaries and familiar routes. The urge to repeat the same predatory practices now butts against humanitarian impulses as Wall Street prepares and futurists dream. Capricorn-Aquarius. A ruptured but clean slate.

The shock waves are shown by the elevated Uranus in Pisces, and the square to the Moon with the south node conjunct the ascendant remind the collective of an underlying insecurity these days, maybe a precursor to the building of some solid and safe structures in time. But fearfulness is destined to vibrate for awhile as the war on terror continues. Until we tire of waiting for the next attack and call it quits. The ancient schism between heroic efforts to save lives and the callous destruction in warfare is one that never seems to be reconciled.

The fractures are seen in the massive breakup of families and the multitudes of orphaned children, a Cancer-Aquarius concern. After the aftershocks, some children are going to find security they never imagined with that odd mixture of safety and fear, the familiar and unfamiliar, that marks human existence. Survivors will create new relationships after the sudden violent separations that so many are experiencing together. Their personal matrices have fallen every which way, but already they're undoubtedly busy forging new connections in the war zone. Recovery wastes not a millisecond. Common grief, memory, and some sort of arcane knowledge will bond them together for ages. Stories of survival will expand and be told to all the coming children. Cancer (the tribe) becomes extended family in Aquarius.

Mars in Leo in the second house shows the pride in spending around the world. There are some small human societies that measure status by how much people give, rather than what they own and keep. Some of our rich and famous might be discovering a sliver of that, competition to be perceived as "good" notwithstanding. The jackals of predatory profit are hungrily planning but they are being watched for the moment and Pluto menaces. The leveling is probably greater than people realize.

In addition, Mars retrograde in Leo opposite the Aquarius stellium illuminates an important part of this transit. It points out that there is no individual hero, no King of the World. Ego is being blasted and sent to the rubble while millions of little heroes take the stage and enter the limelight. It's a time for the lesser lights to acknowledge their significance. Jupiter at 29 inflates the value of humanitarian efforts and one by one the usual cast of self important characters gets diminished, maybe permanently. Some humility might emerge with the Pisces transits and the Mars retrograde, especially with Saturn back in Virgo for the finale.

I consulted the Tarot for more information the night of the quake and I drew The Tower. On September 11, I drew the same card and there does seem to be a correlation. A Saturn-Pluto opposition governed that event and the south node was at 3 Capricorn, the north at 3 Cancer, exactly where Pluto is now. I took it to mean that world trade practices had become so destructive that they were due for cosmic correction. Cosmic time and human time do differ but time is supposed to tell. The trade behavior with Haiti is a large part of the story, and with Haiti's south node in Leo, she can be dramatic in her telling. With so much emphasis on homeland security, I think we humans can expect some more interesting stories in these long Cancer-Capricorn days. Our own wealth distribution is similar to that of this little country and the fissures are sure to reach us too.

The splits in the US are appearing within the political parties as loyalty becomes increasingly questionable. Party lines are wobbling like mad. The American system is in chaos cracking wildly in the astonishing Massachusetts special election. The traditional line between the parties is also disintegrating to an extent as people from all sides realize that they have common complaints and interests in some areas. The schism between the commoners and the ruling body is becoming the dominant factor while the people gradually learn to assign responsibility to both parties and to society as a whole. If anyone is guilty, then everyone is.

But perhaps the greatest schism is that between humans and circumstance and the question arises of who-what holds the power. The triumphalism of certain nations is not working and no dominant leaders are emerging while the collective as a whole takes charge. Chaos (Pisces) is prevailing in a grand moment of equalization as Jupiter at 29 Aquarius in the aftermath, along with the moon, remind the group of one of the greatest of all lessons of Aquarius -- circumstances beyond our control. The relinquishing of control in Aquarius is designed as preparation for surrender to cosmic regulation and guidance in Pisces, where Jupiter just arrived. Trust is required to take one's next breath.

Traditional alignments everywhere are on their way to being shattered and restructured in the coming years, and with that, come new opportunities. This has been quite an introduction. A universal chord struck with aftershocks, reverberations, repercussions, and harmonics orchestrating an unexpected awakening. I know I'm on high alert.
Refuge: Paul Klee

Wheels in Time

2010-01-08T22:27:00.000-08:00

The Mills Grind Slowly
The Wisdom of Jupiter in Pisces

On January 20th, two days after Jupiter enters Pisces for one year, President Obama marks his first year in office and the country is disappointed. Simple truth. There's nothing anyone can say to change that. It's necessary and it's not necessarily bad. It's part of the sequence required to create the conditions for improvement since rebellion is written into the guidelines. One's personal relationship with the figure need not change another's while people learn to live and let live in Piscean fashion. The two Jupiter-Neptune conjunctions were the prelude to this time, where impossible fantasies of a better place were abandoned to be reestablished with a workable plan and a reasonable time frame. A long one not based on a god figure. The inspirational religious icon worked with Pluto at 29 Sagittarius but things have changed after all.

Jupiter is going to ask that you eventually suspend illusions in preparation for a stark look at reality and the long Pluto return ahead for the United States. Anyone in office now would be in the same position since surrender at the end of the Pisces cycle is payment for passage into vigorous renewal and has nothing to do with the personalities. It's collective desire, especially with Uranus in Pisces as well. The end of the rope, the beginning of the next trip. Square one.

People were innocently hoping that things would be fixed but it isn't time now. You can't do that successfully through the panes of illusion fabricating windows, and while the unraveling is still in progress. So Jupiter in Pisces naturally will be disappointing for many considering the outrageous high that preceded this year. It happens that way. At the same time, the artistic and spiritual nature of Pisces applies just as much, and I think they will go together. The political situation is not in that category as yet, however, so displeasure in that segment is well placed.

As illusions disappear and Pluto inches forward opposite the USA Cancer stellium, it could become easier to look at the unadorned picture. In a few years Saturn in Scorpio forms a mutual reception with Pluto in Capricorn, a very interesting time when the system turns in on itself in an attempt to get to the source of itself. It's not the Democrats. It's not the Republicans. It's not the corporations. It's not the bankers. It's you. And me, of course. And It. By expecting a leader to make it all better you pass off your own responsibility. It won't happen that way. The changes needed in the system are fundamental and go back to the origins of the country, which should become clearer as the transit progresses and the relationship of government to business versus public good is revisited and sorted out. It's never been quite right.
Along with the mutual receptions will be the Uranus-Pluto squares and Pluto opposite USA Sun, an amazing opportunity to grapple with these dilemmas, a guarantee of high level dialog, and a more mature look at leadership. Criticism is part of progress, and this year's 50-50 view of the administration is an excellent sign of this progress. A very reasonable alignment. Unpopularity and independence are as important as following. Increasingly so.

The relationship of the public to leadership is infantile at this point and the lesson is hitting home with the south node in Cancer, along with Pluto opposite US Venus, triggered by the last full moon eclipse. A long station of the node at 21 is going on now as the first year evaluation starts. The dependent ones refuse to criticize while the feisty ones place too much resentment on the person. It all boils down to the continuing parental relationship this country insists upon trying to break free of itself with the Pluto return. With Pluto in Cancer, it worked, as you could see in the case of FDR. But this time around, we're due for what promises to be a rude awakening with hard growing pains if the populace is to learn what good governance is. This body is produced by the entire collective society and if it is functioning improperly, then the roots of its breakdown are within you and me. The source of the correction is not in the current president. An overall diminishing of stature will probably be the norm for awhile culminating in some resolution with the Pluto opposition to US Sun. Excellent leadership comes when the essential remedy has been found within the body politic, the job of investigative Pluto with his side dish of destruction if need be. The process will not be short changed. Have you ever tried to short change Pluto?

I've lived through many scripted presidencies and I'm not impressed, although they're all perfect for the time. The problems of society go deep and far beyond and I feel more of an urge to look at those than the figurehead in charge. If you're confident in your love for him you won't have to jump in panic and useless defense when others speak out against him, and there's a lot of that ahead. For some, an immunity will be needed.

The forces are aligning to arouse the public out of its stupor and this figure is the one who will be doing the aggravating. He's going to do a lot more than he already has to make the citizens angry as they emerge from under the Cancer security blanket and Uranus in Aries stokes its revolutionary fire. He's not going to heroically lead radical reform, he has other destinations. He'll help get us there in a convoluted way, though, as we come to understand how reform will really come about. Resisting leadership is part of it. The planets won't do it either, and probably not the Mayans. The planets merely reflect the conditions in which we as a whole can act if we so choose.

Heavyweights are appearing on the blogs now disrupting the dream scape in some places with a Saturnine relentlessness for good reason. They're bringing in facts and figures and unpleasant details often removed from the celebrity gossip that's not entirely instructive. The impulse is to reject them, hate them, but you can still maintain your allegiances while taking advantage of the education they offer. If we are to accomplish the positive development desired we'll have to abandon some naivete and learn how our government works separate from personal attachments, gullibility, and sentimental longings. This is Capricorn's area of expertise.

The sword these people bring to the cocoons is not going to disappear. If you spit them out, others will return to replace them. The energy of this conflict will turn into meaningful synergy as the people themselves come more and more into contact with their potency, and less dependent on the leader's. Judging others and basing actions on whether or not they like someone you do (Cancer) will probably not change the government. The emotional aloofness connected with Capricorn is not an easy thing for Cancer to allow, but the ultra personal is becoming an increasing impediment to productive growth. The nursery school mud pie caged monkey orgy of American politics will have to draw to a close as economic factors dominate in the next years and real administrative talent becomes attractive. You might be shocked at the difference when it arrives.

It could well be that some of the fear and rage toward strangers on the far side of the globe gets turned inward toward America's own system and leadership, especially as Mars continues its retrograde progression headed to Saturn in its search for enduring peace. Well placed battles would be the ideal in the coming years. Battles within ourselves rather than with everyone else exclusively. Wars against evil have been proven ineffective, and no human is without internal conflict. Therein lies the source.

Jupiter in Pisces conjunct Uranus can point to real common need and the expanse of time necessary to get to improvements, even uncovering some eternal facts that never change. The infinity of Pisces can be both comforting and overwhelming, as is the duality. Hope springs jubilantly from sorrow so the down cycle is actually a good thing. Some fear that they'll get trapped in the anguish, but that's unlikely. Despair will kick you out eventually.

I once had a vision of the universe as a giant machine with turning gears, all well oiled and operating beautifully in synchronization to keep the system functioning in buzzing humming harmony. It's no wonder that we see our lives as a wheel in astrological terms. Each one of us is a gear, I think, a vital wheel in the operation of the cosmic mechanism. The significance of every one a given.

Each of us has a unique path to health and collective contribution written in our wheels meshing to create an integrated whole. It's the fixing of these gears that will determine our political future and all are responsible for their own, peppered with shared responsibility. Perhaps this year in Pisces to Aries and back to Pisces will illuminate that creative infinite individual possibility guiding those who are interested to the real integer.

Pluto Gets to Work

2009-12-23T01:19:00.000-08:00

Pluto in the Capricorn Season

Last December when the Sun met with Pluto euphoria was in the air and wishes were freshly minted with hope just in from the horizon. This year we're two Jupiter-Neptune conjunctions wiser and the cosmic digger is ready for serious business with Saturn intimately involved. Change has occurred if not exactly what some had anticipated. So far I've found this holiday season to be one of the weirdest I've ever been in. A magnetic distraction seems to have gripped society's psyche, although some are dutifully recalling the Baby Jesus and purchasing commodities as well as can be expected.

The Veil Dissolves
Jupiter Conjunct Neptune

So it came to pass. Collective illusions so diligently maintained have melted away revealing just how corrupt and ill-behaved our political officials really are. It's difficult to miss. An excellent study in how they operate. The stabbing, bribing, stealing, and most of all -- lying -- have aligned to expose the plutocracy in action with its unattractive appetite for power creating a depressing drama available in each and every home for the pleasure of the viewing audience. The pecking keys are certainly registering the alarm.

People are angry with the government. The battle is on. It always is, really. This one can be classified in the "war of necessity" category. The Saturn-Uranus-Pluto days are as good as here and it's getting time to consolidate and mobilize. The disease in the system demands a cure. The promised unity does appear to be happening after all but not quite for the reasons predicted.

This is the initial breakdown phase of Pluto in Capricorn dealing with group finances versus personal. The current administration was designated to facilitate the demolition before reconstruction can begin. Everything they touch is turning to disaster, magically illustrated by the 29 Scorpio Moon of the inuagural chart.

A Monster in the Halls

The first big Plutonian monster came in the form of the insurance care bill now under attempted construction. If Pluto-Saturn succeeds, the bill goes. The insurance companies represent the established order. Simple.

This drama was played out for the people to recognize the technique of their political office holders. The spin has spun out of control and now the truth is emerging from the wreckage, just the thing they thought they could forever cover up. "The truth will out," it's said, and I tend to believe it. "You lie" covers a lot of yous.

The punishment of Saturn-Pluto can seem brutal and everyone is due to get some of it, for virtually none of us is innocent. It's amazing to feel the rage surfacing and there's going to be a lot more, especially when Uranus gets its revolutionary fire. Group movement like this comes from within the body politic and not much can stop it. Pocket picking will arouse almost anyone. Price gouging has its pitfalls. Money issues have hair triggers.

So the breakdown is upon us. It's far from reform. There's nothing to reform. What's happening now is a panicked attempt to medicate the sickness with impotent measures, trying to keep the entity functioning. The system needs a doctor. And I don't think its covered in a plan.

I've actually been impressed with some of the bloggers lately. Their wits are being sharpened and probably being refined and tooled for the battles ahead. Some of the unsatisfying personal infighting is turning into fine debate. It could get stimulating.

So on this Jupiter-Neptune celebration of religious saviors, aside from the gifts generously offered by the magi, human creatures have engaging challenges ahead that are garnering attention. I'm interested in following the story.
Painting: Suspended Power: Charles Sheeler

The Pleasures of Pessimism

2009-12-20T01:56:00.000-08:00

Life in Saturn-Pluto Times

"The mind seems to be wired for negative thoughts. Common wisdom says that pessimism is a problem. The anti-pessimists warn: “don’t think like that or you’ll doom yourself to failure.” But common wisdom can be wrong, and pessimism can be helpful – if it is done correctly."
Dr. Shawn Smith

I ran across a fascinating article in my paper yesterday and I thought it would be a good time to update you on some research I've been doing.

A 4-year-old boy who was hit in the head by a foul ball at a minor league baseball game in September spoke his first words since the accident this week, a major breakthrough in his recovery from an injury that nearly killed him.
~Luke Holko told his mother he wanted "more" crackers during snack time Tuesday night.
The boy can also say "no."
Matt Leingang: Associated Press

What's so interesting about this is the negative nature of his first words. I recently learned that experiments in the lab have pointed to human brain wiring being that which leans toward the negative. News and television certainly bear this out. My theory is that it has to do with survival need and feeling insecure in a perceived threatening world spurs humans to become extra aware of potential danger, feeling uneasy about relaxing too much into paradisiacal thoughts. The psychologist above concurs.

Pessimism seems to be hardwired into us. We are masters at spotting flaws, dark clouds, and dangers. Imagine standing in front of a beautiful stained glass window. It is a wonderful creation of color and form... and in the corner of this beautiful window is a broken piece of glass. Most likely, your eye will immediately gravitate toward the flaw. With effort, you might ignore the missing piece and enjoy the artwork, but there is little chance you will miss the imperfection. Most minds will want to focus on it.
Why does pessimism come so easily? Why, when faced with something as lovely as stained glass or a new home, must the mind inventory every blemish? The answer might lie in the adaptive, positive effects of negative thinking. Evolutionary psychology teaches that widespread psychological traits are adaptations that help us cope with the environment. Pessimism may be an adaptation that promotes survival.
The Power of Pessimism

Here's the fact. Optimism and pessimism are equally valuable in moderation. Some people deal with an unpleasant present by looking forward to a rosier future. Others protect themselves against disappointment by expecting less. Personal preference.

Now that Saturn and Pluto will be aligned as the current educators it could well be that some of the negative aspects of experience are up for consideration. Venus and Jupiter conjunct in Cancer in the United States chart does indicate an upbeat positive emotional nature, but the opposition to sometimes-menacing Pluto in stern Capricorn is sure to affect this "have a nice day" mentality. The "it's all good" philosophy. The stigma around thinking negatively is silly. Guilt can be better placed. If positivists are firm in their views, the negative won't harm them. And vice versa. They provide a perfect balance, well appreciated by Saturn in Libra.

Since 1993 anti-depressant use in the country has skyrocketed 50%. Obesity is epidemic and heart disease is our No.1 killer, the heart being the seat of happiness. All of this points to an underlying depression that if acknowledged and worked with could lead to a sincerely better mood in time. Events lately are leading to a confrontation with this somber side of reality and the case for a little pessimistic thinking could be sensible, especially when Pluto opposes Jupiter. It doesn't eliminate happiness. It doesn't want to. It might make serious thought desirable and even pleasurable. Here is an interesting article about the value of negative thinking....

A study conducted by professor Joseph Forgas at the University of New South Wales showed that bad moods can actually turn out good for you, as it makes people less gullible by increasing their ability to judge and also is a big memory boost.
The study proved that people who were experiencing bad moods were more critical and paid more attention to the surrounding environment than happier people, who were more likely to believe everything that they were told.

“Whereas positive mood seems to promote creativity, flexibility, cooperation, and reliance on mental shortcuts, negative moods trigger more attentive, careful thinking paying greater attention to the external world,” Forgas wrote. “Our research suggests that sadness … promotes information processing strategies best suited to dealing with more demanding situations.”

To conduct this study, the team actually conducted several experiments that began by inducing happier or unhappier moods to the subjects, by recalling a past event or by watching movies. In one of the experiments, they were asked to analyze the truth (or lack of it) behind urban myths and rumors; the result was that those in sadder moods were less likely to believe what they were told and showed an increase of analytic ability. The sadder people were also less likely to make rash decisions or those based on racial or religious beliefs and made fewer mistakes when recalling a past event.

“Positive mood is not universally desirable: people in negative mood are less prone to judgmental errors, are more resistant to eyewitness distortions and are better at producing high-quality, effective persuasive messages,” Forgas wrote.

It’s been known for quite a while now that a good mood can increase work capacity, concentration and creativity, but not so much effort has been put into understanding what happens to you when you are feeling unhappy.

Mars Retrograde in Leo

Saturn will be spending the next several months tight with Pluto, and Mars in the ebullient often joyous sign of Leo will be in an extended retrograde, a perfect time to see what ails our collective spirit. Just when Mars leaves Leo for Virgo, Saturn will be back in Virgo and possibly, with good analysis, some answers will present themselves.

The Skeleton of Reality

A fantastic idea I have to cope in these difficult times is to accept the reasonable naysayers since their influence is increasing and will probably be on the rise even more for awhile. It's helpful. The more hopeful can use their services to get through the hard times.

Jupiter in Pisces next year continues the magic carpet roller coaster ride and the negativists can teach you how to better handle the crashes when they inevitably come. A certain amount of naivete about human nature has its charms, but savvy comes in handy, too, especially when Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto get together for a party.

I'm an optimist on and off, yet I feel less of a need to be either way at this point. It does what it does. I do what I do. I'm okay with negative experiences since they're so numerous and inevitable. I'm used to them. I'm joyous enough, being an experienced opportunist. I've discovered that there's always something else. I have eggs in multi baskets.
Cage free.

War and Illusion

2009-12-17T01:20:00.000-08:00

Uranus 22 Pisces
Jupiter conjunct Neptune

The United States has Neptune in the 22nd degree of Virgo. The current president has Mars at 22 Virgo. Together they square US Mars in Gemini. It's no wonder that Uranus stationing at 22 Pisces in opposition to this point has brought to consciousness the conceptions, or should I say misconceptions, about violent combat, killing humans, and the justification, even glorification, used by people to absolve the guilt they naturally and fortunately feel about such actions. The spiritual necessity is also an argument used by Mars and Neptune.

When Jupiter last conjoined Neptune, the human population was entertained with a speech about global unity and peace next to the great pyramids of Egypt. It was an uplifting theatrical event for many viewers.
Now that the final conjunction is upon us, the identical individual spoke to the same planetary inhabitants about the goodness of war.
This has caused confusion in the collective psyche, not the fault of the speaker, really, since the times indicate a review of the dilemma, especially now that Saturn is in Libra with its urge toward balancing war and peace.

The shocking nature (Uranus) of the last two speeches, generously woven with war propaganda, has disturbed the collective and brought forth the desire to shove it under the Persian rug. That might not be a wise idea since two wars being waged by the country, one soon to be raging further, is cause for concern. The opportunity to discover magnified awareness is here, considering Uranus, the nation's natal Saturn return ahead, and Mars retrograde in Libra by progression also in line to be crossed by Saturn. A good time for intelligent application of logic.

It's interesting that the latest external war is a civil one and the Mars progression along with the coming cardinal transits indicate a civil battle of our own, but I'll get back to that in a moment.

The peace speech was terribly problematic for many reasons. It was arrogant, presumptuous, deceptive, historically invalid, cloying, contemptuous, and perhaps slightly too rushed considering it was a declaration of permanent war without consultation with those required to enact it on the ground.
It's the attitude of the country. Fun and games. Haphazard and cavalier. The speaker merely elucidated the underlying patterns of thought.

The idea that wars are justified is a big problem for humanity. The nihilistic view of inevitable war is depressing and not a good rationalization for the current one.
The philosophy of war is useful in the classroom, but on the battlefield, it's too late to ponder the right and wrong. Reason becomes pure mission. It's true that war leads to peace and back to war, but this law of physics is not a good argument when real people are being killed and immediate response is called for. Generals, soldiers, preachers, philosophers, and so on, all have specific jobs and in terms of real battlegrounds, it works best when they know exactly what the tasks are.

With Neptune involved, the country revels in the mythical warrior and savior role which she had in WWII, despite the atrocities she committed. But the current war doesn't fall into that category and no amount of rhetoric can really alter that. It's fascinating that the escalation was so perfectly timed with this call to arms, and the upcoming trial of the 9/11 suspects adds to this oddly perfect timing. We're about to be treated to the burning towers again in another attempt to sell the mushroom cloud phantasmagoria if all goes as planned. But could this be the chance to turn away from this age old game that doesn't seem to be working well right now? Could this be by the grace of fortune some of the reasoning behind this bizarre scenario? A peace prize for the propagation of war? Could the dissolution apply to this endeavor as well? Maybe there will be some peace ahead. Who can tell?

A good first step for this Neptune-Mars nation would be a closer gaze at the harsh reality of the murderous act sans romance. The identification of evil is in the realm of religion, not for politicians. War and religion have never been a good mix. To put a metaphysical face on a war for profit and regional domination could in itself almost be placed in that evil realm if one were inclined to make that judgement. The job of judge and executioner is held for select humans, not just anyone at whim. To label anyone as evil is not an act to be taken lightly when ending the life of another by force is the result of the labeling. Attempted spiritual rationalization of killing will ultimately not work, I don't think.

Mars retrograde in Leo
The Return of the Axis of Evil

In perfect synchronization, Mars is now retrograde in warrior-king Leo. The annoying superiority, the American birthright to exceptionalism, is beginning to wear on the country's psyche. Now the brown man has taken up the white man's burden of civilizing the primitive peoples of the planet. Civilizing in a most uncivilized way, I hasten to add. The courage of the Sun King Warrior has its place in fairy tales, and maybe even occasionally in the real world, but honest protection of benevolent elements is probably rare with armies of humans on a kill.

The least liked part of the declaration for me was the statement about this country's moral authority. That's ludicrous and the talk fully becomes ridiculous at this point. The monologue can't be taken seriously, another stroke of fortune, and history must be having a good chuckle. To say that we've killed for moral reasons and to secure the safety of the planet is largely false. Queries at ancient burial grounds will verify my position. And to apply that great moral obligation to the current wars doesn't have credibility. The assumption of moral superiority is one of our biggest problems, I feel, in all areas of living. It's a difficult thing to judge.

But all things happen for reasons of sequence and orchestration. The rage building up around the country will come in handy. The disillusionment of the Jupiter Neptune conjunction along with the bipolar trip from hope to despair and back again, and forth again, and back and forth ..... is prep for the cardinal years, as dizzying as it can be. The aggravation might be just the right thing.

Reality and/or Disillusionment

I'm a silver lining expert. I've yet to encounter another human creature who can find something good in any situation more easily than I can. But I'm relinquishing that need temporarily while Uranus finishes up in Pisces. This final Jupiter-Neptune conjunction has dropped the shoe but I find it a relief. Now there's a little less to fear. You can sweep up the pieces of illusion, melt it all down, and form it into a nice new shape to your liking. Illusions are plastic. Might as well do it now before Aries gets here. A last minute sculpted masterpiece. Mars in Leo also knows about this.

Pisces is a perfect time to float in the vast sea of confusion and even futility, basking in the moment in view of an unknown future that you get tired of looking at. The dreamer brings chaos and foggy roads to be navigated before clear direction is encountered in Aries. The cardinal entities are progressive in the sense that they bring action. Forward motion. One knows what to do, both personally and collectively, just as one doesn't know what to do right now. It's not the time to do. It's the time to be.

I'll go out on a limb and say that we're not likely to perish as a species. Events will lead people ahead to logical conclusions and new puzzles. I think it's a time of letting circumstance guide outside the strengths and weaknesses of particular humans. It's going to happen anyway. Leadership is always intact in some respect. It's required. It's everywhere.

Aries and Capricorn mean battles with the system and the group can safely count on that. Civil discord is scheduled and the breaking apart is really revving up now. Citizens against the government and vice versa. People against big business. Corporations having trouble with the government and the consumers. Party against party. Conflict within the parties. Factions within factions. Separations and a diminishing desire to be like others. Aries. You can see the beginning of interesting arguments among the blogs, all favored by Saturn in Libra, differences to be actualized further with Uranus in Aries when independence and the fight for individual identity arise within the confines of relationship.
I, myself, am quarrelsome, but I find my desire for hands on conflict diminishing somewhat, possibly due to advancing age and electrochemical change.

Likewise

2009-11-17T01:49:00.000-08:00

Mars loves himself. He's a lean mean bad machine in hot pursuit of all that he desires. He knows what he wants and rarely fails to retrieve it when the dynamic currents are in full force. He wastes no time and the exit is always in view, ahead of the crowd, his own man.
Thrust is his pleasure like a spring seed cracking the earth, moving into life with zest, zeal, and verve. He loves his potency and when in the form of a she, he simply enthralls.

Like

2009-11-15T01:57:00.000-08:00

There is no savor
more sweet, more salt

Than to be glad to be
what, woman.

and who, myself
I am
Denise Levertov

Venus loves herself. She revels in her bodily rhythms. She thrills to the touch of her skin and the scent of her hair. She feels the sensations deep inside her belly when she curls her toes and strokes her feet. She learns early on the pleasures of her vagina and she glows with pride when the first buds of her developing breasts appear. She dances easily and celebrates her beauty, fascinated with every step of becoming and being a woman.

The Moon Weeps, Venus Plans

2009-11-12T04:44:00.000-08:00

Pluto Opposite Venus
South Node in Cancer
New Moon in Scorpio

I was taught that Scorpio governs female power and Leo that of the male. I've noticed male chauvinism in Leo men more than occasionally and I've witnessed bonding together of Scorpio women perhaps in memory of ancient eras when women ruled. There's an interesting glut of astrological aspects now concerning these two elements and I'd like to share with you some of my observations.

The Sun in Scorpio is shining on the reproductive function, Pluto opposite Venus in Cancer, along with Venus in Scorpio, is bringing buried feelings to the surface concerning women's value, the south node in Cancer is illuminating emotional hurts, a new moon in Scorpio is on the way, and Mars starting the long retrograde in Leo is factoring in the male principle with some gusto. That's quite a bit.

The trigger was pulled with the passage of the House health care bill, and then came pain hard and unexpected, although surreal as well, I felt.
While not forgetting the despicable character of our politicians, generally, nor that of a society which condones this sort of thing, then chooses them again, an opportunity has presented itself and the contributions of women in America could rate some notice.

Chiron just went direct opening an old wound reminding us of the not-healing part. I wrote earlier about the circuitous path of evolution and sometimes a perceived backward motion is really not regressive in the end. I don't think effort is futile most of the time but results appear and disappear in an illusory unpredictable way. It's hard to figure out. Whoever would have thought that women's reproductive rights would rage on through so suddenly? Only those paying attention.

First, the Sun in Cancer in the USA birth chart already indicates a destiny intimately involved with the integration of the feminine and masculine forces of nature. It's female territory, the sun passing through. Or was. Forget the amendment and the health care bill. They're nothing in light of the broader issues.

The wound was opened for inspection, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. Let's take a look at the chart of the passage of the bill on November 7 at 11:07 PM. (corrected from original posting).

The moon is at exactly 26 degrees of Cancer, ruling women and pregnancy. The fire quickly ignited with Leo rising and Mars on the ascendant.

The Pluto-Venus opposition is shown by the Taurus midheaven and the Scorpio nadir. The ruler of the MC, Venus, is back down on the nadir along with the Sun and Mercury just in the moon's 4th house. All repeating the theme of Pluto opposite Venus in Cancer, and again, square Leo. The Scorpio sun rules the Leo ascendant so there's little chance of escaping this exchange.

Saturn in the second explains the restriction of funds and also squares USA Venus illustrating some serious sensations coming to and from women engaged in society. Getting down to business, especially with Pluto in Capricorn. Big business.
The Aquarius stellium in the 7th shows the propensity toward political equality and the ruling Uranus in the 8th covers a lot of territory in the psychological and physical realms, with insurance issues, and so on.

The grand water trine of Uranus to the 4th house Scorpio planets and moon in Cancer is interesting. Freedom from sexual oppression is associated with Uranus in the 8th, but that also requires a movement away from sharply defined sexual identifications, adding more ambiguity. Uranus removes old boundaries and women might be ready to travel to new frontiers, foregoing habitual reactions and self-images that no longer fit, especially when Jupiter and Uranus come to square American Venus rather soon. Liberation is the word, I believe.

The moon and south node in Cancer in the 12th, however, indicates that it comes with hurt and the start of the phase was marked by profound pain. The 12th house Cancer brings to the legislature karmic patterns and ancient moon memories. Can people and their laws make corrections?

Thus the passageway opens for questioning of women's influence on society, a depressed one trying to figure out how to care for its members in tight circumstances becoming increasingly unforgiving. Capricorn says you're on your own, Cancer says it will protect and nurture you. The south node in Cancer shows movement away from the strictly nurturing role, and with Capricorn involved, there's the dilemma of home and the world, the neverending one for women mapping out great careers in contemporary society.

But now that jobs are becoming scarce how will this effect their upward mobility in a society where, unfortunately, they continue to be thwarted by conservative tradition? We all agree that the status quo is scheduled for an unquo but that's going to take time, and obviously, a lot of effort. I think a key element is not to despair when reality strikes and progress made appears to slip back. It's normal. To be expected.

All the while, many months of breast beating Mars in Leo will be sounding its trumpet for warrior king activity and the usual male dominance. But their wars are going badly. Pluto is a force to be reckoned with and so I say, "women be wise."

Uranus involved suggests that women neither imitate men, nor band together too much, but instead find expression for their unique talents and identities. It used to be that mass movement was the ticket to feminist advancement but maybe now many can more or less go it alone, unless repression really revs up. Less complaint, more action and movement. Opportunities for women in society are probably greater than is commonly perceived.

Pluto offers endings and it could be that the dwarf opposite Venus would be cutting back on the traditional biological role for women, especially in a tight economy. Birth rates go down in such times (they already are), but now less population on an ongoing basis would help humanity in general. The epidemic of pregnancies among the movie stars could have been symbolic of the primal objection to this impending reality, as my quirky theory maker says. It also thinks this amendment and even the bill came up for just this poke. Good job done. A diminution would free women for other jobs in society and they can't get full power until they are completely integrated in the workplace and in politics.

Women carry the seed to birth of new life, and thereby receive protection, and I think Pluto opposite Venus is trying to do just that in a wider application. Creating conditions for a reformation of the lunar role preceding that of the solar when Pluto opposes USA sun in several years. Perhaps the feminine principle in all of society is receiving this protection setting the stage for an unusual phase possibly, maybe, eventually, without the uncontrolled resentment of the male who after all is half of the equation. Parthenogenesis has not yet taken hold in the human species.

In the Interim

2009-11-11T03:19:00.000-08:00

While the question of how to care for squirmy American bodies is debated, it's good to remember that it's going to take time for things to sort themselves out. Some correct mechanism is in charge no matter how confusing it gets, so it will be right.

Pluto opposite Venus is pointing people in the direction of satisfying experiences, if they want them. Wholesome food and healthy pleasures can do wonders in the effort against disease. As far as cost goes, it's also a good time to study what can be done in a personal way.

A physician wrote a letter to my paper about a fellow without insurance who came to him with a boil that needed lancing. The Doc did the job and charged him $60. He told us that had the patient used insurance, the cost would have been $1200.

People might not be aware of the fact that every doctor, hospital, and situation is unique. If you are uninsured you can bargain with them, reducing the prices dramatically, especially the hospitals. Some people are timid about doing this but thousands of dollars can be saved. I was astonished to read the fractions that people ended up with when they made the effort. You have to do the work going through the bills item by item, but it's worth it, and you'd be amazed by the number of mistakes you might find. It's a big boost in solving the problem and the psychological effect results in a vastly improved relationship with the system. I highly recommend this form of creative financing.

Promise and the Gun

2009-11-10T15:40:00.000-08:00

The American Dream

It's worth taking time to study this proposed health care reform before being trapped. I don't know where it's headed, but there are serious implications regarding your body and your money. It's important to pay attention to some details, if not for yourself, at least for your children and their children.

"So, it looks like no specific penalties are outlined in the bill, but the 2.5% is designed as a tax and so would fall under IRS rules for non-compliance.

The Republicans are crowing about this but the Democrats seem to have made a "Stupak class" blunder by not shielding people from serious penalties as was done in the Senate.

Letter from Joint Committee on Taxation describing IRS code Sec. 7201 & 7203

I just talked to committee staff and got a confirmation that the letter above is indeed from the committee.
There are, no doubt, many hidden surprises in this bill as well as the odious abortion provisions. The real surprise will come when the rates are announced for those not currently covered."
Michael Collins: from The Agonist

Pluto in Capricorn is really moving in. People would not be buying insurance under this law and would be pressed to avoid filing tax returns for fear of discovery. The penalty is unaffordable for many. Disaster is a possibility but some of you are familiar with Pluto. Can you count how much you would pay for chasing these people over and above your outrageous premiums?
Does the government pursue the plutocratic tax evaders? Is it suddenly going to transform into an ethical being? Taxation would be fine if good care were involved, but left to the insurance companies I have some doubts. I have yet to see how this is going to take care of the health of the American people. Karmic debts need to be paid, however, as well as insurance premiums.

This is taxation without representation once again. Or more accurately, taxation by our representatives. And for nothing. If the money could be collected it might help, but the cost of doing that would erase the gains. The only health reform that's viable is major reduction of costs, and that isn't being addressed, not with profit as the prime motivator. The forced bondage will cause people to avoid treatment altogether, thus negating the gains made by subsidizing some of the uninsured. And how hard will acquiring these subsidies be? I hate to guess. It's a Gordian knot. There's a better way to care for people.
So do the people allow the iron fist to close in further or can they start nipping now? Fate will tell, I suppose.

"Women be Wise," the title of the old blues song goes. I'd add men. I would hazard a wild guess that 250 years account for something. But I'm often wrong.

Truth and Ethics in America

2009-11-09T04:49:00.000-08:00

It is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things.
Henry David Thoreau

A Gothic Horror

We need a cosmic bypass to get around this monster trying to get its incisors into the collective hide. Apparently the empire is in such dire straits that the plutocracy is now turning on its own underlings to extract money by force. This is worse than taxation.

As I feared the recent election sent the party in power into overdrive, while the opposition sees ripening fields developing. Never mind that these crops are on the way to destitution.

Survival is beckoning. Pluto works on the gut and the attempted passage of the extortion device termed as "health care" heralds a visceral disagreement between the people and the keepers of the wealth. The commoners sense the scam. They're getting slightly jaded now. This is another one of their famous heists but things are going wrong. The thing is losing its grip and pushing the rhythm, revealing some clumsiness.

The United States' government is unwell. What company is going to cover that catastrophe? Just the idea of siphoning another mother lode from the workers into the plutocracy's coffers reveals how demented their mental process has become. I think power -- power over the vulnerable -- takes its toll in psychological well-being, or maybe the mental disturbance is a prerequisite.

And exercising power over the vulnerable is exactly how insurance companies operate. Their obligation is to their investors and that's who they must satisfy. And they do. At your expense. Your valuable sickness.

Health is the primary aspect of a well functioning productive system, which ours isn't. I'll explain some of the problems with this legislation, both practical and metaphysical.

First of all, the people can't afford it. A for-profit business is naturally going to keep prices as high as the market allows which is the reasoning behind a true government program. In a situation of abundant wealth the people could pay for and even might prefer privatized health care, but not here at this time. Collection would cause a headache of astronomical proportions, probably with no antidote. You can't imagine.

Many of you have insurance you can afford and it's sometimes hard to comprehend the plight of those who aren't poverty stricken, but just don't have the means to add thousands of dollars to their yearly expenses, especially with no jobs or with stagnant wages. People are losing a lot and their lives are in disarray, a bad time to take on this burden.

People still won't be insured. The public plan isn't good enough. And you will be paying the price of going after everyone instead of taking care of them.
Using the threat of fines and imprisonment as a means to force the population into purchasing a commercial product isn't a healthy attitude toward money and business.

Another problem is the belief in illness this arrangement perpetuates. We're told that health is exorbitantly costly to maintain and people buy that concept, feeling that pricey procedures and medicines are necessary. The country is not taught about wellness and little is done to encourage the state of health, something your potential caretakers don't want any part of, unless, of course, it's profitable. Hospitals exist on how many beds they fill, and things in a consumer's world can be overpriced. Competition for the fanciest technology bypasses many of the basics of healing. Placing your body on the alter of the system often creates more sickness. So many of their interferences are unnecessary.

And for me, the metaphysical reality is appealing. There are people among us who don't need insurance. They live well with their bodies and cure themselves. Some have a contract with circumstance that insures them against catastrophe and it's hard for many to accept that but it's real. Some take beautiful care of their physical selves and these selves respond in kind. They do better outside the system What would forcing them into a brutal organization do? These people hold the protoplasm for real heath and well-being. Of course there aren't many, but by disturbing them I think we run the risk as a collective of destroying our best chance at evolving toward a healthy society. Precious like.

Pluto doesn't tread lightly and the transit to USA Venus is going to the depths of her assets, her pursuit of the good things in life, her sensuality, her sexuality, her comfort and well being, and with Cancer, the seed of her insecurity.

Venus deals in pleasure. Exactly opposite is the pain and delicious intensity of Pluto now, but could we not learn our lessons with a reasonable amount of this, skirting total financial agony? Wouldn't illness be mitigated by loving ourselves including choosing who and what we want to be bonded to? Americans prefer freedom.
The sick and needy can be cared for. They already are. This bill has been causing nothing but pain so far and that, I'm afraid, is what would be ahead if passed. Fine kettle of fish for something called "health care".

Manufacturing a flourishing system would require some patience and discipline in avoiding desperation. And now we have the slow coming expertise of Saturn and Capricorn to utilize.
And time.

It's Official

2009-11-05T03:14:00.000-08:00

It's Arts Week in Denver and the town is buzzing with creative events. Just in time with Saturn newly in Libra squaring the Capricorn business establishment. The city has Venus at 29 Sagittarius square Neptune at 29 Pisces so the place almost overflows with galleries, studios, theaters, and beautifully kept parks. The arts districts started with First Friday artwalks, then added third Fridays, then second, and now they're just artfully employed all the time. Personal studios grow like mushrooms.

Recently I was walking in one of my favorite neighborhoods when I got stopped in my tracks. I had wandered into some gorgeous music wafting from an Indian restaurant, quiet on a Sunday night. After I listened for awhile, I crossed the street and encountered more delectable sounds spilling from Chipotle. I rounded the corner and from inside Starbuck's, Frank Sinatra was singing One For My Baby, a song I love. Then came an old gospel tune, Peace in the Valley. I absorbed it all and started to think, "Is it just Venus in Libra or is it a coming trend?"

The next night I went downtown and the same thing happened. More exquisite music, including classical sounds in front of MacDonald's.
But last weekend topped it all. In the heart of the city on the pedestrian mall, workers were peacefully hand wrapping the trees in little gold and silver lights, while people sauntered by and pedicabs quietly wheeled through. It was wild to look up and see simian type creatures in the trees at night, even though they say now that we really haven't descended from the great apes. They looked comfortable.

Libra oversees this graceful part of experience and it would be wonderful if the arts took a swing upward and beauty in general increased in the marketplace. Libra-Capricorn creates the potential for that arrangement, and my town does have her moon in elegant Capricorn. I will contribute my share. Saturn is on my Mars in Libra after all square my own Capricorn Midheaven.

The Democrats Have Been Slipped a Mickey

2009-11-04T01:47:00.000-08:00

Fair is Fair
Saturn in Libra

As paradise purged completely of Republicans fritters away before glazed Democratic eyes, reality is rearing its interesting head. They're not doing so good. There does seem to be a basic plus-minus balance as Saturn in Libra likes to point out seeking its goal of neutrality.

They actually seemed to believe that the ancient Republican Party was dead, never to be resurrected, while the dashing newcomer led the Good Party into permanent dominance, locking the miscreants into humiliation and imprisonment, unfortunately with progressively mounting glee.

Circumstance is proving otherwise. The intelligence of the system is always at work, no matter how dull humans pretend to be sometimes.

It's inconceivable to me how anyone with even a morsel of intelligence could actually believe that one-half of their fellow countrypeople would be left out of decision-making. Or that they'd really want that. What good does hating half the country do? Just in case a decision really has to be made, Libra notwithstanding.

The truth is, Pluto in Capricorn means restriction. The broad government programs of the Depression can't be created this time along with the staggering expense of two losing wars. The Democrats' high hopes of bailing out the system won't work. The lessons of restraint have to be learned and the more money is spent, the harder that education is. Increasingly, programs will have to be trimmed. The Republicans' aversion to reform and progress is also a hindrance, so neither party is well positioned to succeed currently. They're without a bubble.

I developed an unusual habit recently ... listening to conservative talk radio (not the sick and famous), along with a particular local nonpartisan show that's quite revealing. Ordinary people. I want to know what they're thinking, and it's surprising.

The right used to complain about liberals furiously, but their attention is turning elsewhere, although still concerned about socialism. The common Republicans are mostly talking about government spending and trying to figure out what to do. But then the moderates have always done that. I don't think they see Obama as important. They don't express much hatred, not even the more conservative.
The federal government in general as it stands now is not trusted. The issue that has united collective thinking is the bank bailouts. People of both parties are angry about the dominance of big business from what I hear them say.

The block politicians are after is the Independent one and it's growing. Republicans tell me they used to be "that way" but now they don't know. It coordinates with the Uranus in Aries years ahead when solutions to fit individual problems will be the ones pursued, breaking out of preordained patterns and shifting the puzzle parts in new directions. The 2010 elections are going to be very interesting as things get unpredictable and alignments get out of whack. Or in.

So I think the failure of both parties is a good thing as balance swings in to keep the group from passing out in delirium. The mickey will wear off so Democrats can come to their senses and face the fact that they aren't the ones to fix it quick and keep their omnipotence intact. They're getting knocked about like the Republicans did, while the people scratch their heads and wonder who's going to take care of business. It might very well take an interesting twist in the next few years as the elected ones get used to the changing reality and the partisan breakdown.

Now is a time voters are feeling the urge to disengage from rigid programmed loyalties, with the help of Uranus breaking boundaries in every direction with more to come. They're moving toward policy and maybe less personality attachment, Uranus being unsentimental

Maybe the next Jupiter-Neptune conjunction coupled with the wild Sagittarius season will, in time, lead to a reality potion to replace the mickey the overworked Democrats unwittingly swallowed. Soaring hopes might increase again, but a reasonable amount of that intoxicant would work well as the bread of reality gets a taste, and both political parties accept their limitations.

Where's Daddy?

2009-11-01T00:21:00.000-07:00

Out in the workshop? Upstairs? At work? Killing people in a faraway desert? In Ithaca? Who's going to take care of me?

Within the mind bending, body wrenching whirls of the Hellthcare storm are some perplexing puzzles. All year the south node transiting Cancer is around to remind people of the problem of insecurity. Interesting that last Thursday, in the throes of the commotion, the node hit USA Mercury starting its journey across the four needy planets. Pluto is coming in from the other end, and Daddy waits opposite to see how the family fares.

Could it be that the government won't be there for the ordinary as hoped? The tendency might be to perceive the authorities as enemies, but that's also an exaggeration, and chancy, considering that one needs a ruling body.

Is the government trying to help or hurt its charges? Certainly Thursday made the confusion of that question apparent. I think people might not ever figure that out, and so, could ideally be more self reliant. A by-pass at zero cost.

But alternatively.....

Maybe the force of the system pulling people in would influence them to have more stake in fixing it. Pluto in Capricorn is bound to put the squeeze on and could conceivably create a more interested populace, should they get stuck. It could work many ways.

The ruling elites do take care of countless details that allow the ever hungry masses to survive in their large aggregates, unable to suck out their own oil or cut down their trees for dwellings anymore. Their food must be wrapped in plastic and labeled with colorful machine manufactured pictures. Their bodies require automobiles. The governments takes care of shipping most of their goods -- tea from China, cocktail umbrellas from Taiwan, elephant tusks from Africa -- all life's necessities. They pave their roads and mastermind their wars. People depend on them and trust is required to avoid the insanity of terror. All of it hums along until something strikes. Now that economic hard times have arrived, people are naturally worried about how they'll be cared for.

Who's responsible for whom? It seems like parents should be the ones since they made us, but they pass off the job to the authorities, who often are derelict in their fatherly duties. Do they care? Should they?

With whom do we sign the contract that says we'll be seen safely from our births to our deaths? Is it signed in blood or will a peacock's quill dipped in turquoise ink do the job?

Due to the limitations of my artist's budget along with my dislike of the medical industry, I work with my body as it heals itself, and I create and maintain the conditions for it to do that the best I can. I think often about the large task of care-taking, and the necessity of assuming that job myself when life requires it. And the freedom that approach provides. It's interesting how circumstance will bend to that arrangement. Will is plastic, I think.

But who can tell? Maybe the government will kick in and be a good parent. With four planets in Cancer the country could use one. Maybe Pluto in Capricorn has one.

Enter Uranus in Aries.

The puzzle of where Father is always baffles, but some answers might pop up while Pluto, the researcher, goes into the authorities' territory (Capricorn) with ruling Saturn about, and then the biggest Daddy of them all comes in sideways .... Uranus. The daddy of the heavens, and not known for possessing a sympathetic nature. That's a lot of daddy.

At 0 Capricorn, the commoners are being slapped into submission. It can be rough. But the system will eventually get down and get it too. It wants it. Whatever trouble comes riding in would enter anyway, so it really doesn't matter who does what to whom, although a pound of flesh to the pending care-takers of our bodies is pricey. It's no one's fault, deals are two-sided, or more, but raging at the system is sometimes helpful. Standing up to the $^%#F967! It's natural to get mad at a bad dad. If you can locate him.

Twists, Turns, and Dips on the Garden Path

2009-10-28T01:01:00.000-07:00

People who like to avoid uncomfortable realities are, of course, free to do that. We need reminders of ideal worlds. But coming up soon I think choices will have to be made by those who sincerely want change to a better society.
First the trouble must be seen and Saturn-Pluto with the miner's lantern is taking off on a downward journey for a thorough investigation. Interested parties will have a lot to observe. An uncompromising view could be enlightening and at best, might lead the way to influential action.

Some prefer the surface pretties, and I agree, they can be wonderfully pleasant. Others feel great relief when they discover Pluto's secrets, as dark, mysterious, and disturbing as they might be.
The top 1% of the American population is now in control of 90% of the country's wealth and is still sucking more. This is a problem. A big one. Our nations are led by criminals. People don't trust life so they've selected these hard corrosive humans to protect them. The trouble is, the leaders have become a threat in and of themselves, and the real dangers have become obtuse and unrecognizable.

Speaking of gardens, within Hades lie the Elysian Fields, and the primrose path lovers could find a garden they never imagined if they were brave enough to go down, pay the boatman, and cross the river leaving behind whatever is hindering access to the deepest treasures available.

I associate Scorpio with honesty, a very strange phenomenon that can't be explained and often can't be deciphered, especially in ourselves. Yet humans crave it, and of course, fear it. We have a million reasons to cover up the naked truth and most of the time that's necessary, but in this Scorpio season with Saturn coming to square Pluto, a fine opportunity has come to strip the pretense. If people are afraid that removing the facade might be too much for others, it probably wouldn't be if we trusted them and gave them the benefit of our overwhelming doubt. And thankfully, Saturn in Libra infuses the ugly realities with grace and beauty as they slowly reveal themselves, along with providing useful equilibrium. A good combination.

Our financial systems are based on trust (Scorpio) and betrayal ensures downfall. Boy howdy, do insurance companies know this. Your Public Option has been a game from the beginning and a fantastic example of the marketing manipulation that defines modern day politics. And who started it? Everyone. And what is it? No one knows. It really isn't real. Yet it's become the cornerstone of existence and the sole object of hope's pin.

This thing has has turned into a magnificent gift from the universe and here you are on your knees. By the time it's played with and pulled apart there'll be nothing left of the mighty toy. Then you can get up off your knees, hopefully before they'll have to be replaced. Knees aren't designed to take that kind of wear and at $80,000 a pop, I can't afford your replacement surgeries.

It's interesting as I listen to ordinary Americans around the country. Their question is, "What exactly is it?" And a great question it is.
"Does this bill mean it would be illegal not to buy insurance?"
I can answer that.
"Yes."

So Pluto, Saturn, and Venus are playing magic tricks with a commodity beyond the senses, unknown to everyone, yet desired by almost all, more and more as it becomes out of reach. If only they knew where to grasp. Honesty and trust are peeking in and out, waiting for buyers. What on earth does this Public Option represent? What we can't have? What we shouldn't have? What we really don't want after all? What we really don't need. How much do we have to pay for what we desire and who possesses it? And what in heaven's name do we truly want? People will be all right no matter what, and desperation is often misplaced. Don't let Pluto and Saturn fool you. Even they aren't getting along. And somewhere intelligence hums.

Perhaps it's on the primrose path. But I do have a question for the followers of light, love, and harmony. Are we going to continue to talk about peace while scattering body parts all over the Middle East and Asia nonstop? Are you going to continue on the garden path sidestepping or leaping over the dead bodies? Are you going to try and try to be "positive" so people will like you? Central Lockup is going to burst at the seams soon with the trapped negatives rounded up and incarcerated. Things need to be discussed in depth and at length with an eye toward knowledge and even justice. The fact of the matter is, whodunnit is not that much of a mystery.

The hardest kernel of dishonesty to face is the belief that the 1% are the guilty ones, and that you are completely innocent. It's not even some Senator or a member of a bad political party who dunnit. The whole collective is in on it. We all created this monster called the Public Option in the season of spooks and goblins. A symbol of our confusion and delusion. Now they can't decide whether to opt in or out. Kind of like a belly button. It's genuine madness. I might join you on the garden path if this keeps up.

Anxiety Medicine: Take When Needed

2009-10-26T03:28:00.000-07:00

Crisis in the 29th Degree

Virgo is the sign of worry and at the critical 29th degree, you have plenty. Alongside that is the Scorpio season adding emphasis to all things Plutonian. Some people are anxious about the future. Virgo affects the nervous system.

I have a theory about the 29th degree of Pisces, the start of the invasion of Iraq. It seems that when planets transit this mutable point (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces), an unpleasant reminder of the USA's disastrous war effort comes back, and certainly yesterday was no exception with the major bombing in Baghdad. Saturn square the war's Sun says something about ego. Operation Iraqi Freedom is long over. I think this lump is hanging around, kind of in suspension. This persistent stain at 29 Virgo. "Why won't it go somewhere?" one might ask. "Who did what wrong? Why can't I get it out? Who's in charge? What's happening?"

Disease and Symbolism

Disease is necessary to the maintenance of living systems. All the cures mankind creates only reroute illness in its assumption of new forms. Sickness strengthens weakness so the organism can survive. It also leads the conscious mind to an understanding of the psyche and the emotional patterns and harmful behaviors beneath the surface contributing to life's hardships.

Some say that widespread illnesses started with the domestication of animals and the clustering of humans in large groups. Metaphysically, communicable diseases represent group belonging dilemmas, protection, freedom of thought ... things like that. Why do we take on someone else's illness? Why do we give it to others? What are we trying to share? How much should we share and where must we draw the line?
The diseases of the era teach humanity what needs correction in the collective body alongside the clearing process and maintenance of the species' vitality. The latest, the swine flu, was declared especially important on this 29th degree. Could the animals be trying to communicate something? I noticed where people are reluctant to even mention the creature connected with this one, preferring the letters and numbers. Not like the avian flu which rolled off many tongues with joy. Granted. Pigs aren't pretty.

"Before we can begin to glimpse the deeper spiritual reality behind swine flu, we need to take a moment to try and understand what the pig symbolizes. I think most people are familiar with the negative aspects of the pig symbolism: gluttony and greed, for example. Not as many are familiar with the strengths of pig symbolism, like forward movement, digging deep, and uprooting useless things."
Dr. Antonia M:The Spiritual Reality Behind Swine Flu

Dr. M. makes a lot of sense. It's no mistake that the piggy banks revealed the full range of their gluttony at this time, too, all in the prep for Pluto opposite USA Venus and Jupiter. The people are getting hints and starting to exercise frugality, but those at the top are going to be late coming to the game. Don't worry about that one. She makes a good point about the pig uprooting useless things. An excellent example of Pluto to Venus.

I also got to thinking about our relationship with animals and the horrific practices we're engaged in now in an attempt to feed this voracious human population. Perhaps it's the animals trying to balance things out, and ideally, we could develop a fair relationship with the so-called lower citizens of our kingdom. It seems hominids still have to learn how to eat.

~"Beneath the skin of this surface layer there is the issue of human beings' destructive habit of overconsumption. We over consume just about everything. Now, where meat is concerned, our overconsumption creates imbalances on many fronts: our health and the ecology, for example. The meat industry's negative impact on the environment (not to mention our bodies with the pesticides and hormones) is significantly greater than all our anti-green habits.

~It’s no coincidence that swine flu is manifesting now along side global economic turbulence. The pig, or I should say a healthy pig, is a symbol of prosperity and abundance. A pig with the flu is trying to tell us something about our economic health.
The pig is a social animal. So it’s not just a message for world leaders. We as a community have to be responsible for our own economic balance, for balance in our lifestyles."
The question remains, "Is any of this impacting the collective subconscious in a measurable way? Or is the knowledge already there just now surfacing through the swine flu?" I think everyone gets the connection each time they hear the word, and it's going to be mentioned quite frequently up ahead, you can be sure.

"To an extent, Pig medicine path is also about boundaries. I think the presence of swine flu is a reminder that we have allowed our space to be invaded—mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, politically, financially. That’s what viruses do. They invade your space."

I agree, but it's not necessarily the invasion, I don't think, although protection is important to maintain. It's also what happens once they're in. Invasion seems to come with the territory.
This fits the boundary making of Saturn, especially when the planets leave Pisces. Contrary to these times, unity and global whatever might not be the prescription then.
This is definitely food for thought and in terms of the 29th degree of fear, it can serve to relax the mind about the reasons for disasters and at the same time give clues about how to accept their inevitability, resting in the knowledge that you've survived everything so far.

The moment also puts the Hellth Care debacle into perspective. It's not going to solve much in the big picture and the big one is much more interesting, I find. It's stimulating to ponder the possibilities beyond appearances, and far beyond the personalities on the main stage. In some ways, the slaughter in Iraq reminds me of our animal killing, along with our other wars for commodities, and I'm convinced that all these phenomena are tied together occurring simultaneously as they did at 29 Virgo. The wisdom of the pig is as great, but no greater than ours. It's time to share, it looks like. And take our medicine.

An Informative Preface

2009-10-21T15:34:00.000-07:00

It's a good time to take a moment and a satisfying breath, while considering the development of some reasoning power as Saturn crosses into Libra. Before I post my next article I'm linking you to some interesting discussions of the health care predicament.

On second thought ... to hell with it. I'm taking a break in the stacks, leaving you with my favorite quote on the matter from Physicians for a National Health Program:

"What is the worst that could happen?

The second worst is that the final bill could be defeated and everyone would walk away with yet another failed attempt at reform. (Everyone would understand that very soon we would have to return to start over since the status quo is totally unacceptable.)

The very worst is that this bill could pass and everyone would walk away insisting that we have successfully reformed health care when all we have done is to establish an unnecessary and unethical ten-year long experiment that will cause financial hardship, physical suffering and even death – adverse outcomes that could be prevented with reform based on policy evidence rather than markets."

The Source

2009-10-16T01:20:00.000-07:00

After dispensing I can't remember how many billions to help out the banks that were failing due to corruption, we're now getting the results. They've continued exactly as before, actually getting more profitable. And soon the next wave of housing troubles will be foreclosing in. Then who knows what? If I were a soothsayer I would say, but I'm not. I'm banking on some unknown trust fund.

Whose fault is it? This country has been dirty dealing from the beginning and everyone pays the piper. Such is the way of Pluto coming to USA Venus and Jupiter in an avalanche, a volcano of sensation. Pluto, the great magician, is just getting down to business, and he has a plan. The bankers are the symbols of collective untamed desire, tricks, nefarious deals, and all the underhanded means of accruing wealth that have been going on forever in all strata of society.

Pluto also guides people to sources of riches invisible to those overfilling the material vaults. There are tests for the interested. The trials often demand loss, at first, to make room. Our bills due are strange things and money is odd. "In God We Trust," our money says. Well I do sometimes.

Bonuses, bottom lines, profits, losses, assets, liabilities, billions, trillions -- what are they, really? How much is enough? If an individual knows that does it matter how much anyone else has?
It's weird. When people steal from me I always figure they need it more than I do, and that they carry some suffering I wouldn't want. And I walked into it. Being able to eliminate, to take it or leave it, the freedom to be with or without, could be the greatest of riches. Who or what truly takes care of us? Beneath the ravaging, the earth still renews and provides.

I think the sun, the moon, and the stars beamed down to humanity through gold and silver as a reminder of other sources of wealth. It's almost too much.

Suckers and Thieves

2009-10-15T02:24:00.000-07:00

Uranus, Neptune, and the Body Politic

The dissonance of the Nobel Prize is minor compared to that of the ersatz health care reform. For several years I've heard the crowd's agonized scream (loud, too) about the domination, corruption, and overall evil of today's business corporations. And now their hearts are bursting with joy - warmth spilling on the floors, walls, and ceilings - as the government attempts to force them into bondage to one of the biggest corporate conglomerates of them all -- the insurance companies. Now that's dissonance in lieu of labeling it insanity, if I were frank.

Pluto, Scorpio, and the eighth house ... insurance companies. It does make sense doesn't it? The insurance industry and the medical establishment (Capricorn) are two of the largest financial contributors to politicians' campaigns and law-making. The office holders won't defy them. Not now. Pluto at zero Capricorn is too early for the system to falter and the squeeze is just starting. They also need your votes and everything they're doing is geared to that goal. It's what's called being played. You.

There never was going to be a public plan and if there is one, I'd expect a fake. The president told you that in the beginning. It's easy to read between his lines. You already got suckered into bailing out Wall Street and look what happened. Profits are soaring and even though your little funds might be growing, when the sell-off comes you'll be left holding the bag. An empty one.
The plutocracy is trying to save their organization, (Why not? With Pluto in Capricorn) or make a mighty profit on its downfall, and they are well known for their ruthlessness. The public is well known for its naivete.
But along with the dissonance of the Uranus-Neptune mutual reception is the other possibility -- the chance to gain an out of the ordinary awareness.

Forcing the entire nation to buy a commercial product tells the story perfectly. The profits dangling before the sellers are driving them nuts, not to mention all the kickbacks for the dealers.

Raising the cost of living this much for a sliding economy shedding jobs with no end in sight is cruel and unusual punishment. Well, Pluto in Capricorn can be like that. People would not be able to pay for these forced contracts and the amount of money trying to collect could be staggering. Who pays for it? You.

Say there's some "public option" now that they've given divinity to the phrase prodding you to believe it's a glorious gift of mercy. Just wait till you try and get it. The cost of administering such a plan would be astronomical. Who pays for it? You. And who qualifies? Not you, most likely.

A large part of doctors' payroll is spent trying to collect from insurance companies who play a hard game. With so many added clients, doctors will have to increase their staffs and raise their fees. Who pays for it? You.

A plan to regulate the companies is being discussed. The cost would be, well a lot, trying to monitor their actions. Who pays for it? You.

You can pay to hand your body to a business. Or you can pay the penalty. Pay the government for being alive. You have options.

All this in a failed economy that even the escalated wars might not remedy. It could, theoretically, make you sick, raising the expenditure that much more.

A problem with one party rule is the desperation with which the ruling party fights to keep its power. The frustration of the outsiders fuels the conflict and the fine art of cooperation and compromise remains pretty much out of reach. Funny how this bill is barreling through just before the midterms, and even funnier is how it wouldn't take effect until 2013, just after the current president hopes to get re-elected, just in case it doesn't do too well. A more balanced legislature after the next election would help.

Saturn in Libra square Capricorn holds potential for good debate and law-making. Excellent possibilities. Would that some of it would be dispensed. It takes taking time. And honestly entertaining the thought that your opponent might be right. And respecting facts. And keeping personal feelings within control and functional. The square deal. And not terrifically sentimental. Logical. Above the belt.

Saturn is approaching the critical 29th degree and the Virgo fix would like to be applied. But what fix exactly? It's good to keep in mind that Saturn returns to Virgo next spring for a last ditch something or other. With so much Pisces around chaos seems to be the way to go. So the fix is really unknown at present. I'll try and fix something by spring.

Anyway, it's maddening. If I were you, I'd be discerning and pay strict attention. Watch thy money. Heal thyself as much as possible. If I were me, I'd pay strict attention. I'm glad I'm not a thief.

The Veil Gets Thinner

2009-10-12T04:36:00.000-07:00

Neptune, Uranus, and Cognitive Dissonance

"Cognitive dissonance is an uncomfortable feeling caused by holding two contradictory ideas simultaneously. The 'ideas' or 'cognitions' in question may include attitudes and beliefs, the awareness of one's behavior, and facts. The theory of cognitive dissonance proposes that people have a motivational drive to reduce dissonance by changing their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors, or by justifying or rationalizing their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors."

Like so many others, when the winner of this year's Nobel Prize was announced I did a double take. I thought it was a hoax. Then I realized it was the perfect sham. Well done.
When NPR read the two top news headlines of the day, they were, "Obama Wins Nobel Prize for Peace," and "Obama Meets With Military Advisor to Discuss Escalation of War in Afghanistan."
That's pretty dissonant. The scramble to justify the award tells the whole tale. But within the lapse of sanity is the opportunity to understand more of what's happening to the collective mind.

I won't go into the many details of why this is so ludicrous, but I will relate the event to current astrological configurations at work. My first instinct told me it had something to do with the Uranus-Neptune mutual reception, and yes, they are both stationing at 22/23 degrees and when they go direct, Jupiter will conjoin Neptune again for a continuing look at the mental breakdown of society, the delusions of hero worship, and the bipolar journey between hope and despair that is marking the path to the cardinal transits ahead. It's no mistake that yet another "speech" is scheduled on the next conjunction. Probably the end-all be-all speech of all time. But it's all in the game. As much as people want to continue the fantasy, it will probably go soon. Pluto, Uranus, and Saturn are not the stuff of Hallmark cards.

Uranus is unsentimental insight and dry intellect. Neptune is emotional flooding often divergent from reality. The two have been bumping and grinding for years affecting humanity's perceptions. With this station people are sensing the discord and starting to doubt the authenticity of the peacemaker's words, especially with two wars going, one heating up further with expressed excitement. People are trapped. Anyone but Bush has become no one but Obama. There is underlying panic since they don't know whether or not to trust him. They might never know. The smartest thing if one is interested in psychological growth is to recognize the flaws, both in ourselves and out there, considering that the exacting perfectionist Saturn is coming to town, not to overlook the years of Pluto in Capricorn. A stellar opportunity for self improvement.

Let's take a look at Obama's chart to see why he fits this puzzle so perfectly.

An outstanding connection is the elevated Neptune (illusions) in the 9th house of religion square Jupiter (religion) in the 12th (spirituality), and the Sun (leadership). The strong emotional nature of Neptune in Scorpio indicates a dominant desire to be a religious leader. He fashions himself as a sort of global guru, jetting around his kingdom in luxury (Leo), being entertained lavishly by royalty worldwide. Unfortunately, Saturn retrograde in the 12th delays spiritual attainment until later in life, and even though he might achieve that one day, he's not ready now. At this point he lacks Saturnian substance and cannot be taken seriously. He's the American Idol. A magazine cover figure, a playboy among the ultra wealthy, complete with photo shoots at exotic sacred sites. So this is another opportunity for the nation to understand herself and why she got into this particular predicament.

Adding to the illusion is transiting Neptune in his first house soon to oppose his chart ruler, Uranus. He is the Grand Illusion Incarnate clouding the clear view continuously. "Let me be clear," he pleads over and over. Increasing insecurity is nudging people to question the wisdom of following blindly. The award makes no sense and the attempt to prove otherwise has proven to be difficult if not impossible. It really is absurd. That's the good part.

Mercury square Neptune also inflated by Jupiter points to the mesmerizing use of words. Evasions, persuasions, and even departures from fact. This repeats our own country's Mars in Gemini square Neptune providing another opportunity to see. Can we ever be honest? Can we cease being trite?

A further factor is the moon at the foundation of his chart square Pluto, a deep point of insecurity and need. Pluto rules his 10th house and the parental axis is highlighted in all that he does. He demands that we the people give him the attention he never got. It can be inexhaustible and exhausting. Even The Prize won't do it.

This repeats our own Pluto opposite Cancerian Venus going on now and is again repeated in the 29 Scorpio moon (the public) of the inaugural chart square the executive. With the Plutonian factor there's an element of bondage, but freedom from that is a valuable goal. By the time this winds down I expect the citizens to recognize the problem somewhat so they can move forward and take a serious look at leadership, possibly a more conscious one, when Pluto opposes USA Sun square Saturn.

Then there's the looming hidden Saturn retrograde in Capricorn in the 12th. Here's where the so-called honor of this prestigious award gets interesting.

With this placement the individual wants to be accepted by the wealthy establishment and now he's apparently attained that wish. Unhappily for him, he actually hasn't. Again, too soon. Saturn in Capricorn especially has to earn recognition through extensive sustained effort. They're playing with him. Puppies everywhere. He might awaken from his fairy tale, he might not. He might do well. It matters not. What matters is how society uses this bounty of knowledge.

So in the end I think the award was not really an honor, but more of a humiliation and exposure of the superficiality of our culture. A cosmic mockery, both of the recipient and of the traditional institution as Pluto in Capricorn reveals the errors of the status quo. We suddenly believe we are redeemed after wreaking economic havoc on the world with still no attempt to fix it? After invading a virtually unarmed country and now stepping up a war for profit in another poor country? Dangerously meddling in South America? With instant milk we're cradled in the breast of comfort again?
The most beneficial aspect, I think, is the reaction of outrage as a preliminary step to acquiring strength and energy for the cardinal years. It seems like every event is creating rage and division these days. Exactly as it should be, in my view. Saturn, Uranus, Pluto, Aries, and Capricorn are not exactly a historic walk in an impressionistic flower garden.

What Can We Do?

Proceed with the weaning. The prize itself is unimportant, and so is the man ultimately. Some tremble in anticipation of the future, some welcome falling axes and opportunities to triumph, pushing on to greater achievements. Taking a good look at what's behind the thinning veil appeals to me since the invitation to advance comes with it. And banking on our real assets.
Photo:enypniastes eximia:sea cucumber

Multidimensional Evolution

2009-10-05T04:24:00.000-07:00

Several days ago I noticed the waxing moon beside Jupiter in the night sky, ancient, steady, and beautiful. I like contemplating the systems of the universe in their perfection including life on earth. People might not like the eruptions, disruptions, and general discomforts of experience but one thing leads to another in a sequence that ultimately works.

All creatures feel fear. Those of us in the animal kingdom are destined to live a natural life and die successfully with all the facets that make up the challenges of surviving. The demands of sustaining the body and the fear of predators are part of the situation.
It isn't about politicians, nor anyone for that matter. Nor is it about a sudden shift in collective consciousness. It isn't even about good versus bad. It's simply about systems doing what they must in order to continue. The earth changes in a steady rhythm and all living things adjust. I think this is what might be called evolution.

Evolution can go in many directions. Sometimes it moves forward and sometimes it retrogrades seemingly undoing progress. Humans can't perceive the overall stages being caught inside the mechanism.

The biggest mistake this so called advanced creature makes is assuming s*he is solely responsible for the changes on the planet and the development of social and political organization. This is, of course, inaccurate. Human systems are an infinitesimal part of universal ones and governance so far is beyond our comprehension, intelligent as we might think we are as a species. What people might perceive as wrong now will turn out to be right in the end. It has to.

I've come to the conclusion that there is an intrinsic intelligence in systems that oversees their proper functioning. Even their demise is nourishment for new ones better adapted to changing conditions. Now the cosmic plumber and drainage specialist, Pluto, has arrived to clear the passageway for the next dimension awaiting this doing breathing organism. It's wise to remember that the time preceding a planetary return is an ending. The wrap.

The Weaning

233 years ago Pluto was concluding its transit of Capricorn when the newborn American country separated from her mother, and now that Pluto is returning, the urge to do it again has surfaced, steadily gaining strength. The weaning procedure is in motion with the moon's south node in Cancer and Pluto just beginning the revealing journey opposite the four USA Cancer planets. Accompanying the initiation is a pervading sense of insecurity, not surprisingly. But I also feel an accompanying confidence, necessary to prevail in tougher times, an aspect of Capricorn.

With the economy shrinking, the earth heating, wars threatening, and the absence of leadership becoming more apparent every day, one can see that no one knows what to do. This is favorable, as the country begins her weaning in earnest. There'll be no sudden radical shift, I don't think, but likely a gradual motion, forward, backward, and sideways, as systems struggle to continue, just like the planets. The planets give us a great clue as they move in their multi directional paths. Magnetic forces keep them all in order as they probably will do for us. The magnetism of Pluto together with the structure of Capricorn indicates that they will.

Bush and Obama - the same coin.
People had hoped to leave the past behind and go on with a reborn country free from the previous pain but circumstance has taught otherwise. The former president and the present one are linked for good reason.

On November 2, 2004, Saturn was retrograde at 27 Cancer, exactly opposite USA Pluto. The Moon was in Cancer as well. Naturally, Bush was re-elected with this backward clinging configuration. He also has natal Saturn in Cancer in the 12th at 26, the ultimate in a lesson born of the parental axis. He represented the Cancer parent. Security was the basis of his administration.

Obama has Saturn in Capricorn in the 12th at 25 conjunct US Pluto, the fatherly figure, just as problematic for this dependent country that rejects maturity so soundly. Responsibility is his main point, but he, himself, is not exhibiting the trait. 12th house Saturns often indicate failure in mundane reality, and this is the ticket to the country's recognition of her own overall failures coming into focus with Pluto's return. You can see the start of defeat and humiliation, a necessary part of improvement.

The ideal solution to this puzzle is for independence to develop when the citizens stop waiting for someone to bail them out. The opposite of the Great Depression with Pluto in Cancer. The weakness of leadership, the inability of these parents to make it all better, only facilitate this growing up endeavor. All creatures have to leave the nest or den eventually. So this is why the people are slowly becoming more aware of the incompetent leadership they have. It ideally leads them to fend for themselves adequately, if not well. Anyone elected now would be in the same position.

We're in good shape, really, as the view of the current one comes into sharper focus. In fact it was recently pointed out that "he lies."

That cry was like a shot heard round the world, the quintessential example of the Saturn-Uranus opposition which was exact that night. An entire history of tradition was shattered in one shocking moment and I expect it will trigger an extended series of breaks with authority. The shot is still ringing.

It's as true as can be. Maybe the time has come for the children to peek out from behind the shield of fabrication. Take the recovery, for example. The people are being told the recession is over. Even if recovery is underway it will be so slow as to be imperceptible. The fact is, we're probably headed for a long period of harder times, and yet the people seem to be getting ready to acknowledge that fact. So the deceptions of the rulers might be growing less useful since the people need to pay their bills. If the parental figures can't do the job, something else will have to be done. Around the country, individuals are voicing genuine dissatisfaction with government and the weakness so obvious now is designed to eventually transfer strength and power to the country at large whatever path that takes. The system is top heavy. It has to adjust. It's physics. Dynamics.

Jupiter conjunct Uranus in Pisces

As fact and reality weave their way into daily life, Jupiter soon enters Pisces to meet up with Uranus in a grand finale before the two go on to Aries and the next Saturn-Uranus opposition. Disappointment with leadership is rising. Hope isn't always the remedy. Sometimes it is, sometimes not. It's always around, anyway.

Surrendering to what is, is a relief. The effort to shore up delusions can be exhausting and Pisces dissolves burdens if you let it. Giving in and up momentarily can lead to surprising satisfaction and a release of long held tension and breath. And giving up the idea that the good parent will be coming around the bend to save the day could pave the way for substantial administrators taking care of our country's business. Conceivably. Eventually.

The earth always warms before an ice age and that's probably what's happening now. Land masses move and water sources shift in dramatic ways during these events, and more quietly other times. Wildlife leaves when water and food sources dry up, but returns when conditions change. They die out when the time comes. The ecosystems are in continual flux and probably man's poisons are no greater than natural ones. Antidotes are always there, a requirement for system maintenance. Europe, once a part of a huge super continent, is now moving back to merge with Africa again. So the system we tiny creatures are a part of runs on its own with or without our said mastery. Apparently we're wanted so the earth will do with us what it will as it continues to evolve. Animals know what to do and so do we animals.

It's the same with our social and political systems. They adjust to changing circumstance and evolve accordingly, so the years ahead are probably going to take care of the collective and keep it thriving, speaking of parents. Human disasters are part of the system's way of surviving. The struggles are universal to all living things. And there's not much you can do. Except to do your best.

Beggars and Choosers

2009-07-30T02:19:00.000-07:00

Seems like humans are always begging for something from someone - God, the government, the boss, Jupiter .... If only they knew who was in charge.

I guess with Pluto in Capricorn we're about to find out who cares and who doesn't, just how much mercy will be extended, and exactly how much we're on our own.

The people just spent millions and millions and millions of dollars hiring the current government and now they're on their knees begging for care and for Wall Street to stop stealing all their money. Where can they go for help? A quandary it is.

There's a lot to cover besides everyone's illness, and outer space is extending the populace a little preliminary course in realism, not greeted with joy considering the country's elevated Neptune. This Neptune is about to be crossed by Saturn, and fantasy will have to share the area with practicality for a little while. Fair's fair.

It's true that Pluto makes experience seem like a life or death situation, but it really isn't that fateful in the long run. And the long run is what we're in for considering the four Cancer planets. The wave of panic is really unnecessary other than to provide the temporary thrill of fear so many favor. I wish them an enjoyable frenzy.

The way I see it ... the public is a hyped up rag doll with its arms being pulled out by both parties vying for power and elections approaching. It's all in the game, and as usual, the people are playing their subservient role masterfully.

Rushing like a runaway truck on I81 is not good for your health. Expecting the government to suddenly turn benevolent borders on foolish. And obsessing with the phrase "public option" is idly filling time. Most people don't know what it really is and yet their lives depend on it suddenly. It could just as well be " pubic borazzmatazz." Such is the madness of Pluto, not to forget the 29 Scorpio moon of the inauguration. Group phrases provide something to get your tongue around, but probably won't pay your medical bills. And neither might their insurance plans. But it's more than nothing. I think.

Probably the best thing would be no health care until there could be good health care, if such a thing could materialize in that foggy place called the future. But if the forces demand a deal, you can expect the establishment to win at this stage of the game, if you think there's a contest. You can cry and beg all you want to, but as long as you keep paying for these people to do what they do, and voting for them, they will do it.

And so the team arrives at the Virgo-Pisces axis again. Are we healthy? Not particularly. Can we get healthy? Maybe some of us. Who's going to pay for it? Good question. Who's responsible for whom? Good question.

Sickness is big and remains a puzzle no matter what. When healing became controlled by profit people got entangled and now it's bigger than the sickness. A chicken for a cure got out of hand.

The fact is, you can get health care now. You won't expire without the public option, Pluto notwithstanding. You can enjoy what you have. You can eat well, exercise, and control exposure to painful stress in many cases. You can go to a naturopath. You can get poked by an acupuncturist at a very reasonable rate. You can clean the house and do some long awaited repairs with the end of Saturn in Virgo. In fact, you can organize your life. You can learn to like yourself despite the world's injustices. All things Virgo create health in a human and now is the perfect time to get it. It's your body. Baby.

Soon sickness will be prohibitive. Heh! That'll do it.
So it was designed all along.

Panic in Needle Park

2009-07-24T04:47:00.000-07:00

That was the title of a movie I saw once about a ragged group of junkies who procured their fixes in a Brooklyn Park. The supply suddenly dried up and the film was an interesting view of the ways in which they survived.
Neptune equates with drugs and illusions, and the feeling now reminds me a little bit of that movie. The Hope & Change altered state has ended and people are suffering withdrawal with the accompanying panic that it might not return. The high was so expansive that the comedown was bound to be of similar great dimension, but there's more Jupiter-Neptune ahead with the chance to adjust to reality in stages.

Anyone occupying the White House now would have been subject to this climate, and most likely would have handled it equally. It's not at all personal.

It was a thrill for some to revel in the new administration's magical powers and for awhile, it was relatively harmless. But the people are changing surprisingly fast and are preparing for future challenges, including an evaluation of their leadership sans the Hope & Change.

I've been listening to my local radio shows and oddly, the general public seems to be a little bit ahead of the blogosphere on this one. They like the president, but they have serious doubts about his chances of fixing the problems.

The diminishing hope is exactly on schedule, since expectations have to be cleared occasionally. The bare bones approach in Capricorn wants to do what's within capability with a guarantee of success.

People adjust to sudden sobriety in a variety of ways. Some are angry and blame anything. Others welcome the change and see the seeds of genuine optimism provided to replace the drug. Some couldn't care less. Most are a little worried, but have confidence that things will work out.

It can be difficult to comprehend the urges politicians have in their hunger for power, and Saturn-Pluto is the epitome of ambition. The panic they're experiencing now is loss of public support, without which, they lose their seat in the ring of power. They're nervous. Both parties are frowned upon out there. They seem to be showing their weakness. And Pluto is coming in.

All the politicians are bought (hired) by these corporations, and just like any business, they have to do what they're ordered to do by their bosses. But things are getting out of control. Or have gotten. With Pluto soon turning direct and heading for full Capricorn territory, the story is just beginning.

Alas, the bystanders are foregoing the fairy tale as Jupiter and Neptune separate, not the support of the president, of course. They still like him. Next year, as Jupiter and Uranus complete their work in Pisces, the initial panic should turn into acceptance and a new enthusiasm for reality. And the dealers will be out of work.

The Pitfalls of Prophecy

2009-07-22T14:31:00.000-07:00

Eclipse at 29 Cancer

July 22nd they warned! Or heralded.

As you can see, nothing happened. Oh, some will insist that it's too subtle to perceive, and that's probably true, but most are looking for tangible signs. People have been acting as prophets since time immemorial, and whether they are shrieking on the street corner or pontificating on a book tour, I feel secure knowing that most everyone takes them in stride. These everyones always have an ear cocked just in case, but so far we've managed fairly well without benefit of prophetic services. Mostly people are seeking drama in a rather routine mundane existence. Not a whole lot happens, yet everything does.

Eclipses are one of many small events that make up human activity as it relates to the solar system. When things actually do happen they quickly drift into the semi-remembered land of the past. Even the ones that make history drift into the long continuum over time. Those hoping for cataclysmic events and sudden shifts are generally due for a letdown.

What drives these proclamations? Ego, of course. And that's what this eclipse is all about. The Sun (ego) in Cancer is kind of like a permanent eclipse and this moment exaggerated the condition. The result has been an agitated attempt to bolster the frightened entity, often leading to childish tantrums and screams for attention. The public nursery school at full tilt. Even the dogs were whining and shouting in the park yesterday, something they never do. Fierce protection of territory can also occur under Cancer's influence, and the difficult truth of the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction - that world peace, harmony, and happiness are not here just now - is disheartening to some.

The personal reigns supreme with Cancer and we're just getting started. This particular eclipse is a lead-in to the next year and a half of the south node in Cancer offering a chance to stop and talk with the squirmy child and teach it reason, logic, and self control a-la the north node in Capricorn. It's also looks like a diminishing of overblown idol worship with the south leaving Leo and the darkening of the solar so perfectly timed.

On the other hand, some with less than outstanding egos had a chance to stick out a little more while the shiny ones got shadowed. It all evens out. The ordinarily overlooked can't take too much of the spotlight, but their contribution in rare moments is probably remembered in that expansive land of the past. Who can tell in this unpredictable world? They might even step out from the shadows a little bit more as time goes on and the Leo south node leaves the superdupers in the gold dust. It will be a fascinating Mars retrograde in Leo coming up, I guarantee that.

So the prophets cry. Even when catastrophes do occur, or merely unfortunate, upsetting, or slightly miserable events, they give way to the broader, deeper movement of humanity, which no one can perceive. Light and dark live side by side, kindly symbolized by the sun and moon. Granted they don't like to share the sky, they both have their slots, but overall, they get along. This eclipse was another fateful meeting of the two enhanced by the Cancer energy and south node in Leo just about to cross over. An eclipse of the sun is a temporary moon type darkness, usually with the attendant insecurity. A sort of cosmic dimmer. It makes me squint whether I'm looking at it or not.

As I mentioned earlier, the next years are scheduled to break habitual dependent behaviors in some and this event has been a harbinger of these potential movements. Leaving so-called secure caves for exposure to the outside can be daunting, but sometimes the urge to get out gets the best of you. You might see the cardinal signs leading the way. The fixed will probably require bulldozers.
There's real work to be done in society and the rewards of achievement and recognition beckon. Along with that journey out is the development of a viable ego that includes benefits for society as well as yourself.

So who has her hands clasping the light? Who's better than whom? Who makes these decisions? Some insist that the forces of evil in the universe must be eradicated. Conquered. Snuffed out. That's a tall order. Light doesn't kill the dark, really. Life is comparison and contrast. And who says that light isn't "evil"?

Deep in the ocean beneath the surface light there are hot spots known as thermal vents where unusual biological forms exist. There are giant worms who thrive way way down in the depths, and to them, light would be evil. They even have blood in their strange bodies very similar to ours. Together these forms live in a dark world that astonishes the imagination. In the ocean, and on the earth's surface, and probably in the heavens, you can witness horrors committed by the inhabitants, but it's all part of the chain that perpetuates the ecosystems. The octopus isn't such a nice guy.

Many nefarious acts are committed under cover of dark. But so are they done in the light. Evil was at home in paradise from the getgo.The forces of evil have a magical way of twisting and winding through everyone, and even though some seem to hold more, the quickest route to eradication, if you choose that road, is inside yourself. Lingering on others' "darkness" can even cause you to miss your own, the most important piece of the evil pie. You aren't going to be successful conquering it out there. I'll stake my silver on that claim.

The United States is in somewhat permanent eclipse with her Cancer stellium and her fear is spelled out in her astronomical military expenditure. We were born or live here for reasons connected to this destiny. The north node in Leo indicates a solid gold ego somewhere down the line but the process is a long one as the relationship is developed between these two great luminaries and people learn to love themselves with solar pride, while understanding that the other human levels of expression will have their time as well, including calamities, war, disease, and all manifestations of earthly existence. You live beside what you perceive as wrong while doing what's within your capabilities to make a better world if you want one. Neither side has any intention of going away and neither side wins. They share the universe and they teach. Your own fear of evil frequently is just a signal that you need more confidence. The night must be laughing to see little humans try to self-righteously use the dark as a weapon, mislabeling so consistently. The storm clouds too. And the worms in the vents. And, of course, the fantasy novelists. The fearfulness of the moon is a perfect complement to the confidence of the sun. Dark and Light are a match made in heaven.

It's another eclipse. One of so many. The Sun and Moon chuckle, sharing the joke.

Sustenance

2009-07-20T08:38:00.000-07:00

Pluto in Capricorn Opposite Venus in cancer

"Taurus is generation, Scorpio is regeneration. The association of Scorpio with loss and death shows that the people are required to sacrifice personal desires in order to satisfy the demands of the society of which they are an integral part. Taurus represents food, possessions, and all that individuals incorporate in order to renew their bodies, while Scorpio represents the renunciation of pleasures, which enables an individual to become absorbed into a larger corporate body. Vegetables and animals must die before they are consumed by people. Analogously, people must slay their own greed and selfishness if they are to nourish the collective human organism. Pluto oversees this process of reduction to basic components in order for the pulverized material to be assimilated by the greater whole."
The Divine Astrologer: Marcia Moore and Mark Douglas

Pluto opposite Venus is the Taurus-Scorpio configuration, and as you can probably tell, in this country there is an imbalance. Unbalanced incorporation. If using the Sibly chart for the United States, the pattern is particularly prevalent. It's written in the nodal axis -- south node in the Taurean 2nd house, north node in the Plutonian 8th -- with Pluto repeating the pattern positioned in the 2nd, further emphasized by an opposition to Mercury, the planet of commerce, in the 8th. People are pirouetting on pins and needles awaiting the next few years as Pluto opposes Venus and Jupiter. Changes in economic behavior are anticipated and citizens are already responding.

On September 11, 2001, as you recall, the Trade Towers of America were destroyed and I took that to mean that her trade policies and economic habits were going down in some way eventually, and would have to be rebuilt.

On that day, the north node was in Cancer at 3 degrees, on US Venus. Mars was conjunct the south in Capricorn, indicating the demolition of the structure by explosion and fire.

Now the nodes are returning to the 3rd degree along with Pluto and an experience looks to be in store. The nation's material security is taking centerstage and in November of 2010, the south node will be on Venus exactly opposite Pluto at 3 degrees. With transiting Venus on a long retrograde in Scorpio at the time, the Taurus-Scorpio theme will be emphasized even more.

"Taurus and Scorpio are the two money signs. The former stands for individual resources, privately owned property, and income, while the latter stands for collective resources, public property, taxes, and investments. Earthy Taurus rules real estate and land, while fluid Scorpio has suzerainty over the ever fluctuating stock market."

The country was founded on principles of successful business and perpetual expansion. The development of the colonies was sponsored by companies who demanded a profit, and the colonists did anything they could in the new inhospitable land. They formed treaties with the Native Americans, then broke the agreements, settling on the Indians' revered hunting grounds, claiming their food supply. When they discovered the work load was too big they imported slaves. These practices turned into a similar foreign policy advocating plunder around the world, and now the growth of financial conglomerates (Pluto), unnaturally fast and too consolidated, threatens the organism as it snuffs out necessary cells in the form of small enterprise (Taurus). Rapid growth becomes a worshipped and followed deity, virtually impossible to reject.

Things in nature grow bigger, but forces of decay complement the procedure and prune when needed, so the environment matches the organisms and they can sustain a balanced system. Uncontrolled growth now is overcoming the smaller aggregates and necessary divisions, so I'm expecting the whole organism to speak as the corporate mass, headed by giant banks, comes to the showdown. Both are likely to survive, but ideally in a semblance of balance. Some big businesses share markets with small ones successfully, both benefiting through the arrangement.

It's pretty well established that the long period of expansion has now become one of contraction, and the excess is Pluto's job to remove. Unfortunately, some of the players in the game are reluctant to embrace the reality of "smaller" and are now growing yet larger in a wild overreaction. Government spending could also end up in this category. How they compromise with reality should prove interesting, especially with dry, controlling Saturn in Libra there at first between the two. Of course, Uranus in Aries is unpredictable, but it should provide the spark for action, both good and bad. Following Libra, Saturn goes into Scorpio forming a mutual reception with Pluto in Capricorn, which sounds interesting, and tense, with the thing turning in on itself. Some very serious business, I'd wager, with extremes meeting constraints head on. A real bind.

A concern is insurance companies (Pluto). How much will they dictate the way life is lived? How much constriction in general is required before the system adjusts? Where will the squeeze be? Who will apply the pressure? How tight will it get?

Taurus is "mine." Scorpio is "ours." What's yours is yours, what's mine is mine, and what we share is decided upon mutually with loyalty to the agreements. From the start, the country has broken trust. Taxation, with its creation of common shared resources, is like the devil magnified. Growth (Taurus) becomes excessive (Pluto), and destroys (Pluto) nature (Taurus). I find it interesting that the inauguration of the president is done on the Taurus-Scorpio axis. The cosmic entities are aligned with our education it seems. Or else they want our money.

I think with Venus conjunct Jupiter and Pluto in Capricorn, the country has both an overindulgent nature and a frugal one. Circumstance determines and the people are moving surprisingly fast by spending more sensibly and saving for the first time in years. This presents a problem in the short term as consumer spending shrinks, but eventually markets and correct finances find each other. It looks like the populace is quick to react which is good for survival. Upheavals can be expected when Pluto is involved, but the intensity varies.
The question of war for profit is a thorny one...

"The Taurean avidity to accumulate material goods can lead to Scorpionic jealously and covetousness on the part of the have-nots of the world. Most wars, inquisitions, and persecutions have been thinly deprived efforts to deprive people of their property. War strips away possessions through taxes, bombing, and deliberate destruction of homes and belongings, even to the point of doing away with man's first and foremost possession -- his body."

Governments are in business, largely dealing in war supplies and drugs. This Plutonian arrangement leads to a world of high crime, creating fear among the people, but they'd be afraid anyway. In and around the sordid dealings are commodities exchanges that are relatively clean and equitable. You choose. Both are always available. Attacking the criminal and the crime achieves little without consulting the source in human nature. In the meantime, watering your crops works fairly well, along with discovering whom to trust.

I imagine that in order to go on to the next 250 year cycle, the US budget will have to be brought under control. It appears to be going further out right now, and when real contraction comes, things will change as promised, not necessarily in paradisiacal fashion. The stimulation and government programming could encounter difficulty, since restraint and severity are needed at this juncture in history. Elimination of financial waste.
Failure is good. It paves the way for success.

A further part of release is psychological and with the south node transiting Cancer along with the Pluto opposition, the attachment to the past (Cancer), and all its myriad resentments (Pluto) could influence the situation even more, if that's possible. The past is bobbing up again. The square to Libra is concerned with justice, Pluto with revenge, and some would like the previous leaders to be punished severely, and event unlikely to occur. Too many present leaders are implicated and too many business deals are still in operation. This links to the non-victim stance I always champion...

If you've been the victim of a crime, but the perpetrator won't be punished officially, then clutching to the hope is discouraging and stoking the resentment hurts yourself. The criminal has won again by retaining power over you as you spend energy, time, and money pushing for the impossible. You are in bondage. Pluto. You're doubly stripped, and imprisoned in sensations that effect your peace of mind, and probably your health. The best revenge is repairing the damage and learning how you got there in the first place and how to avoid it in the future. If things don't improve fast enough, the obsessive quality of the blame could increase, until the country realizes that the current administration is part of the problem and that's where any logical repair will take place.

You really can't do much about everyone you hate vehemently, be they the rulers, the wealthy, the evil people in charge, or whomever is perceived to be stealing your goods at the moment. They're always there. And justice has an uncanny way of working on its own. My favorite stroke of revenge is improvement of my character. Show them you've done well. Feeling fine without you.

Another aspect of Cancer-Capricorn is housing and urban environments. In the cities where Taurean nature is demolished, Plutonian underworld activities often dominate. In city planning the trend toward bringing back nature with parks, bike paths, and the like, probably increases the public's well-being. It's interesting to see how some natural preserves become havens for Plutonian dealing, and others become a cost-free way to enjoy an afternoon of paradise. One never knows.

At the same time, new housing communities are being designed and constructed outside cities with renewable energy, their own food production, and maybe even eventually their own manufacturing base to an extent. Small industry again. Small sustainable units, the ideal in the age of contraction. The tribal village of Cancer becomes the successful business venture of Capricorn easing the strain on society as a whole.

The real question comes when individuals ask, "How much am I willing to forego for the benefit of the whole?"
Until now, the collective decision was to satisfy desires unchecked, and thus, the corporate structure has flourished in order to feed human want. The avarice of the corporation mirrors that of the individual. Pluto oversees self-mastery concerning desires and Capricorn brings the discipline to achieve it. A stellar opportunity.

So as you can tell, the direct motion of Pluto coming soon is of great importance to the American people. The opportunity offered, considering Venus and Jupiter and their benefic characteristics, is worth considering, although everything comes with a price. Taurus-Scorpio. Pluto-Venus. Commodities, finance, and survival itself. But most of all, the key to a good life is being able to honestly experience pleasure and then the two main sensations of the body, pleasure and pain, operate in balance, with grasp and release in rhythmical order. Overstuffing only on very special occasions, divvying up if possible, and all the while "slaying greed and selfishness." Well, maybe just a trimming will do.

America on the Cardinal Cross

2009-07-15T01:18:00.000-07:00

The cardinal signs are the primary relationship points in the astrological wheel and successful development of all four ensures the healthy functioning of a society.
In Aries the relationship with the self is established separate from having to conform to interpersonal or societal norms. In Cancer, the family is formed and tribal belonging with protection and security provided by the intimate bonding with others compose the next stage. In Libra, emotional separation comes and the individual sees the other from a mental perspective, balancing, weighing, judging, and using the opportunity as a mirrored reflection of self, thus gaining more knowledge and understanding, along with learning how to give and take. In Capricorn, the emotional familiar attachment is no longer needed as much while the native forms a relationship with society as a whole. A good foundation of security creates the ability to relate to the group later on. The individual is able to trust others, knows her*his character, talents, and skills and is able to use the earlier lessons of cooperation to become a productive member of society. On the large scale, a country then becomes a mature player on the world stage.
As you can see, the United States has some work to do at the Cancer point with four planets there just about to be heavily transited, and I do mean heavily. The Libra Saturn and Capricorn Pluto points will also be involved. And Aries will soon be factored in. Cardinal energy is dynamic action meant to initiate change. A lot is ahead.

Right now, there is a fascinating configuration of celestial influences coming into focus. The new moon at 0 Cancer became the full moon eclipse in Capricorn. But it's an unusual moment since there will be a second new moon at 29 Cancer and another eclipse. Adding further to the configuration are the nodes of the moon entering Cancer and Capricorn. Just when the nodes change, Pluto goes direct headed for serious business with the US Cancer stellium. And finally, the direct motion occurs exactly when the next Saturn-Uranus opposition comes. It's time for an experience with the child-parent, home-world puzzle so woven into the country's destiny. Successful developments on the childish, dependent, often fearful and insecure Cancer end could bring about a more mature relationship with the world and a better functioning society as we come to the first return of Pluto to its natal position. It's theoretical at this stage, of course.

The blogs are a new part of the arrangement and they could figure in significantly since they perfectly combine the cave-like intimacy and family connectedness to the public arena. So people are home and in the world at once. The tribal units are out in the open being monitored and hopefully, if only eventually, keeping people on their best behavior. Lessons of dignity, politeness, respect, and so on could be learned with Pluto in Capricorn, especially with Saturn in Libra in the beginning.

On the other hand, the urge for independence will cause some to leave the security of the blogs and the attachment to administrators as mother figures protecting the brood from the cold cruel world. Emotions could get out of hand at first and quarrels could escalate. Some blog masters will realize it's time to let go of their own blogs and dependence on their familial clusters. Clinging to security blankets in general is up for consideration including the idea that the government is going to magically transform into a kind, caring, frugal, respectable, people-loving entity.

Who and what are the politicians protecting? Who is ultimately responsible for your interests? How can we turn the natural Cancerian impulse to nurture and band together into one that nourishes the well-being of society? How can private successes become public? Who really is in charge? When is it time to take things into your own hands and how can that be accomplished?

I often talk about complicity and shared responsibility. Many feel that they are victims of the elite, the corporations, the government, and authorities in general. Metaphysically, there is no such thing. All relationships are contracts between the parties and so-called victims have reasons to be there. From that perspective, the "evildoers" are just as much victims of the people, themselves, or circumstance. Trying to accurately pinpoint blame often is fruitless, time-consuming, and exhausting. There's one simple reason for acting from this position. If you play the victim you can't do anything about it. If you share responsibility, you have control. Your chances of a fix have improved exponentially. Growing up as a Cancer country, the lesson of responsibility will come one time or another. This looks like a perfect time.

Another important part of maturing is facing mistakes. The Cancer child reacts defensively to criticism, but the good adult knows how to criticize and receive judgement gracefully, along with using the information for correction. The United States, herself, is due for some discipline, which might include some humiliation. The leadership is childlike and superficial and not taken seriously at present. Ancient threads still weave their way around the planet. Correction is the key to Saturnian development on the path to expertise with genuine pride in achievement.

Ideally, we the populace, become the parents of ourselves, managing our finances, voting intelligently, paying attention to local issues where direct votes can influence policy a great deal, drying the tears, ending some of the tantrums, and standing up to do the job, watching the moves of the politicians in relentless Plutonian investigative fashion. The terrorizing from the parents now has gone on long enough. I realize they have their hands on mega world demolishing weapons, but hey! They're as afraid of them as we are. And they know they can't get away with as much as they used to. If things progress well, a new brand of leadership could emerge, reflecting the people's growth, and you will recognize it. The all day sucker transforms into the wild cherry tootsie roll pop and the kids shriek with delight. Hidden pleasures from Pluto. If they're good.

Pluto in Capricorn plays no favorites. It's interested in an efficient smooth-operating system. The understanding of collective survival and control from a deeper broader source diminishes a lot of the fear and frees up energy for achievement both personal, and societal. Pluto does signify revenge sometimes, but the best revenge is success and health, with more emphasis on reward than punishment. Power is in constant flux and redistributes itself according to system requirements. Breakdowns only lead the wise ones to the avenues of repair, or in some cases, destruction and rebuilding. The backbone of Capricorn can be used to build anew from the primal Cancerian need for safety.

As usual, there are good and bad aspects to the challenges ahead, but most important is the realization that it's not going to be done for us. Government of the people, by the people, and for the people means just that. We are it. The nation has serious problems and some might feel there isn't much that can be done, but soon, renewed vigor will come.
There's always a solution. The greater the effort, the bigger and more enduring the transformation can be, with careful planning, sensible division of labor, sincerity, consistency, method, and patience. People can let Pluto come and do what it does, remaining wobbly and too yielding under the Cancer influence, waiting for the adults (?) to take care of it, or they can utilize the nourishing talent of the sign to build solid security from within, remaining firm, erect, and with the help of Aries, a little bit fearless. When is it time to take things into our own hands and how can that be achieved? Are you ready for power? We do have a little time yet to think about it.

The cosmos is not one to deny creatures their autonomy. It means less work for those illusive entities. More time to frolic among the stars.

The Facets of Experience

2009-07-12T16:12:00.000-07:00

Dissolution
Jupiter, Neptune, and Chiron

The triple conjunction is winding down now and as you can see, both the good and unpleasant aspects of the entities are at work, as is always the case with astrology, exactly like life. Some predicted a magical healing with great happiness, optimism, and loving collective togetherness. Others warned of disasters and false hopes. I've noticed a little of each, but mostly, I sense more of a feeling of suspension, people not knowing where it's all headed. This configuration is especially important since it will be carried over for an entire year as Jupiter transits Pisces and meets Uranus on its way into Aries. We've only just begun and not knowing the future is paramount at this juncture. No one knows what's ahead and once this fact is accepted the freedom inherent in the Saturn-Uranus oppositions can manifest.The future is ours to create.

People are grappling with hope and disillusionment in some way. And the main effect of Neptune .... dissolution. The negatives stand out and are actually supremely helpful since they guide people to problems in their psyches that if faced and worked with, can improve their existences. So running away from the negative can be a shortchanging of yourself.

This conjunction is the start of the year-long cycle culminating at 29 Pisces. It's hard to imagine much being accomplished in this chaotic loose jointed time. There's a sort of end-of-the-rope moment that beckons before the collective can move on. Things are breaking up and falling apart.

All moments are a combination of sensations. Neptune includes infinity, if only theoretically. People attach the positive or negative label according to personal needs of the present, so an overall plus for the whole crowd is virtually impossible. Individuals see reality differently. One's negative does not, however, ruin another's positive. They co-exist. When all facets coordinate and the value of the integrated whole is recognized, progress is made. That includes perceiving your foes as allies ultimately as we all help one another find understanding ... standing-under: feet: Neptune. So-called enemies are far too valuable to annihilate. They come back, anyway, as the mirrors they are. The ideological differences of Jupiter-Neptune are part of growth, and as you can see, there is a long way to go. How willing are you to allow opposing views an equal existence? Saturn in Libra on deck might provide part of the answer.

Aquarius governs rebellion and collective ideals, but it also is implicated in dictatorship as a fixed, often ego-driven sign. Many force their wills on events and insist that things are going to be a certain way. That's why the lessons of the sign include circumstances beyond our control. Neptune oversees socialism and cooperation, but the oneness of the energy can also mean totalitarianism. The desire in America for the obliteration of the opposing party is not indicative of advanced social harmony, especially since those who profess to be adhering to the lofty principle are among the perpetrators of the division. Hypocrisy, a favorite of Jupiter, has been rampant. During the transit partisan hatred has gone on unabated while chat about great collective strides forward has masked this primitive mode of operation. Movement is governed by the forces of equal and opposite and if we were all ideologically the same, I guarantee life would not be worth living. In fact, life would cease to exist. So celebration of diversity, no matter what the details, is the plus side of Jupiter-Neptune. Are you right? Yes. Are you right? No. Who has the answers? Everyone.

Real advancement comes when the hate and illogical fear of others end, and the power over yourself is decidedly yours. Banding together in mutual distrust is not really a path to enlightenment. Jupiter governs broad social urges beyond the one on one. Many people are reluctant to leave this cozy arrangement so they cling to the interpersonal in the form of gossip, the main ingredient in political discourse. The collective unity Jupiter-Neptune offers has been rejected by and large as the divisions are rigorously maintained. All groups spit others out.
You'll know when real evolution comes. When the malicious gossip subsides and people recognize their complicity in the games as a whole, with a natural urge to understand rather than denigrate, castigate, separate, elevate, anything but accept others into the human family with the magnanimity of Jupiter. The attempt to portray yourself as better than others translates into the hierarchy we see in society. It's ancient. We all do it. It successfully prevents the unity of Jupiter-Neptune and integration with the cosmos. Happiness? Not so much. Positive? Not very much at all. When the gossip lets up and is replaced by real talk of ways to solve problems and honest discussions of how to best govern ourselves, then progress will be evident. With Aquarius, leaders have to descend from the heights and join the efforts.

Jupiter is positive and upbeat at times, but the full reality is more. Neptune represents longing for alternative dimensions or the question of whether or not these places can, in fact, exist in the real world. Jupiter is concerned with long journeys, so the desire for inspired travel through these territories in our imaginations is a large driving force of the transit. "Hopiness" is a mere fraction of the spectrum of Jupiter-Neptune.

In the search for transcendental experience, longings for painful sensations are also included, as evidenced by the uncontrollable desire to see more images of torture, hopefully worse than before. The peep show ruled by this purveyor of fantasy. The pictures remaining hidden is actually a good sign, the ideal being a loss of desire to look at humans hurting humans. That evolutionary point is a on a far distant shore. As long as people want to watch it, the phenomenon will continue. The ongoing Colosseum of the collective mind. Theatrical enjoyment. Rings and rings of circus. The same applies to the deceptive and manipulative news media people condemn. As long as eyes are focused there, they flourish as is. An understanding of complicity, again, is required. Do we want to be deceived? Yes. As long as Neptune is around. The line between healthy non-fact and destructive lying is often blurred and the need for coverup remains until the time for revelation comes. How much truth do we really desire and how do we ever know for sure?

Conjunctions can be the most difficult of all with both planets competing for power in the same place. Jupiter ruled Sagittarius and Neptune ruled Pisces are naturally in a square aspect, so some trouble could be anticipated. Pisces is unspecified faith and Sagittarius is religious hierarchy with authoritative figures and traditional ritual. In that respect, the election results in Iran make perfect sense. In fact, all the participating factions are religiously backed and all are corrupt. The evolution in the Islamic world as theocratic rule is gradually joined by secular has been going on for a long time and it's going to take a lot more. Change needs reactionary elements to move against and as Pluto travels into Capricorn, those energies can be expected to increase at first. The year of Jupiter in Pisces could assist this change but things will go slowly, perhaps showing significant development when Pluto crosses Pisces and the Age of Aquarius sets in later on.

In the meantime, the events of the last days eclipsed the soaring spirits aroused by the recent speech hoping to unite the whole world in pleasant common purpose. This promises to be the pattern all year as hopes rise and fall in bipolar order until the graph flattens and the Uranus-Neptune mutual reception ends, where fantasy and reality can cease the constant argument. What and whom to believe? Which ones to follow? Who's jiving who? A harmonious world of peace and cooperation will probably not be the result but fortunately, we keep trying, and always succeed in some places. It's a good time to realize that hopes naturally come and go. Feelings aren't permanent.

Chiron

Real healing comes with the understanding that there's no such thing overall. One pain disappears, another one comes. Wounds open and close. Like breathing.

I think Chiron is concerned with the knowledge that comes with wounds. Knowledge that the wound is permanent, but that's exactly as it should be. Hurts instruct and, again, guide humans to problems in the psyche. The good sensation comes in knowing we're able to live well with the less than perfect parts of ourselves we'd like to disown but never can. Cures come and go. Wounds keep opening as if speaking. One can listen.

Neptune governs the most beautiful fantasies we can create, but it also can bring the fake with no satisfying depth of experience. Fake optimism, fake spirituality, fake badassness, fake leadership, fake talent - you name it, the false has shown its costume. Phony gurus (Jupiter) have been waxing poetic (Neptune) as Jupiter brings out the holier-than-thou in so many of us. Long soliloquies on consciousness are often an exercise in ego power, and not much of an example of advanced spiritual achievement, which tends to be peppered with some obscurity, sparsity, sincerity, and silence. Good advice is always around, too, though. And some truth-tellers have ventured out of the closet, undoubtedly under protective influences.

And then there's the dilemma surrounding USA Neptune activated by this special conjunction. Are we the ones to moralize to the world and dictate to other cultures how to behave? This country who gouges the wound in Afghanistan and continues her horrendous imprisonment practices, economic terrorism, and governmental intervention around the globe. Who are we to talk about peace, love, and harmony as savior of the world?

Saturn is due to arrive at US Neptune soon and I have my doubts about this country's ability to save the world at the moment. She has her own problems to face.
The ideal with Jupiter-Neptune is to see ourselves as part of the whole, not the exception, an age old problem this country will eventually have to tackle. Some of the country's promise has been fulfilled, some has not. Soon it will be time to make an accurate assessment. This conjunction seemed to have diminished the exaggerated state of grace and redemption so hoped for. The country has some debt to pay.

There is nothing exceptional about US leadership right now and if it gets there, it probably won't be for some time. It's wise to accept that. When we act as if we are equal and one with the world, then we can talk about it successfully. Rescuer of the human family seems kind of ludicrous as Saturn heads for Neptune and the days and months ahead might bring relief from having to pretend. Jupiter governs promotion and advertising and next year in Pisces, as it approaches Uranus and Aries, salvation might not be the most salable product for the magazine cover. And maybe when Pluto transits Pisces, the savior idea will lose some of its juice altogether.

People are symbols, rulers are marionettes. No one has the power. Even though the puppeteers are pulling the strings, they, too, are being controlled by the collective force and its decision-making prowess, always a constant. The group rules itself. Power is always always shared. No one gets to keep it. We're all players in the game. The hierarchy is a collective fabrication and until we understand why and how we create it all together we are bound to be confined by its structures getting glimpses into egalitarian cooperative behavior as we go. And everyone has to be included if it's real. "The People" are just as corrupt as the leaders as a whole or else the chosen ones wouldn't be there. They are us. We might not have any choice in time but to turn within seeing the symbolic projection for what it is.

So now the earth is prepared to go on to the full year of Jupiter-Neptune and the grand finale at 29. It's wonderful to think that the crowd is making a sudden big shift into higher consciousness, but you know it doesn't work that way. After the rocks are dropped, and perhaps some guns and bombs laid down, progress is thinkable. Every individual has to come to awareness in order for the whole to reflect it. It won't happen noticeably until all become familiar with the deeper and larger entities within, and thus depend less on outer personalities, including planets, to do the work for us. We best become more self-governing. Movement happens slowly over time, but Neptune does provide the moments of magic to keep humans inspired and will continue that gift giving.

The job of Neptune with Uranus in Pisces, and Jupiter soon joining, is to dissolve the outer bonds, I think, in order to get to the inner guiding entities. The leaders/celebrities won't do it. They're exactly like us. Afraid, confused, lost, overwhelmed, wandering, wondering, searching, quivering in the magnitude of it all ... things highlighted in these end of wheel Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune days. Leadership is dissolving and even if the grip tightens at first, many of the personalities are due for failure. The idea is to get to the source of authority with Pluto in Capricorn. The source within the individual. The real and singular seed for the end of oppressive government. When groups can successfully manage themselves the need for oppressive rule dissipates. History has been a fascinating study of how human aggregates try to accomplish this.

Predicting precisely what the planets will do in 2012, 2022 or otherwise can be fun, but the results are questionable. No one came close to predicting the events of this alignment. Life is a trickster. The celestial bodies don't know any more than you do. The thing is writing itself. Good becomes bad becomes good, truth and lies play catch, sorrow becomes joy then loops back to despair, birth becomes death becomes birth, and wrong and right are ultimately impossible to distinguish in the never-ending flow of experience. I have no choice other than to trust it. The joy of Neptune. Every step one takes includes an element of faith.

All civilizations decline and perish eventually as new ones are born. We don't know where the collective is now. That's discovered in retrospect. We can't say where the United States stands in her evolution, either, and probably won't until after the Pluto return. You can think it's all positive if you want to. The pessimists could be right too. But anyone can live an exemplary life, and by doing so, probably contributes the most to collective advancement. The stars and planets don't make the decisions. We think it up all together. And it's full of surprises. Infinitely multi-faceted.

What's Been Called Magic

2009-07-10T03:12:00.000-07:00

Entertain: To hold the attention of
Entre: between
Tenir: to hold

Between what? This world and that? Illusion and concrete reality? Heaven and earth? Daily life and special occasion? Is it meant to amuse and divert or is it serious? One definition appeals to me: anything that restores strength and energy for serious work .... recreates.
Sometimes I think everything is entertainment in an attempt to find a focus for attention. The world stage does seem a bit scattered, though, and not always inspiring.

Neptune and Leo are associated with drama and illusion as dramatists weave fantasy into experience, probably a healing potion for human ills, though it sometimes works to increase the illness, I've found. Neptune dissolves the boundaries that separate dimensions and Leo provides the illumination and grandeur. It's an interesting tango with ego and dissolution of said entity. Great dramatists know about this.

Jupiter is associated with Thespians, and this conjunction has brought to attention the condition of the public stage. The central idol involved made special and literal use of wounding, probably a part of Chiron's information. So is entertainment painful? I've found it so quite often, although I believe it should be otherwise. And sometimes it is. But mostly, for me, it's disconcerting following the flashing frantic chaotic pace and the upsetting angles. Plus the constant presence of the same images on multiple screens, kind of like a drunken seeing-double thing. Triple and quadruple. I had a little trouble with the three ring circus as a child when that became popular. One ring was plenty for me. With three rings I always felt shortchanged. Too much eye-darting. It was hard to pay full attention to anything.

My first formal experience with the stage was at the age of about seven in a Camp Meadowbrook musical production. My bunk did Me and My Shadow and I was Me. My bunkmates were my shadow. It was wonderful. I like the tune and I love to dance.

The next memorable one was The Crooked Man in my Girl Scout troop. I was the Crooked Man and a convincing one at that. Old and bent. I was 11.

Over the years I was in many productions of this and that -- Gilbert & Sullivan, Mary Warren in the Crucible in HS, a weirdo in my ballet recital, and a Russian peasant -- until I finally settled on filmmaking. I was set to attend NYU but in a last minute change of mind, I decided to develop my considerable musical talent and become a professional. I headed for Woodstock to join Tim Hardin's production.

So it's been from the perspective of knowledge that I've watched this South Node in theatrical Leo come to an end with the grand Jupiter-Neptune finale. And, of course, with some interest.

The players on the public stage today are not our best. The first great tragedian was thought to be Thespis, and actor who lived in Dionysos. I mentioned earlier the connection of Neptune to these ecstatic rituals. As history progressed, actors were not respected but were watched, needed, and meagerly supported. Then they became part of the elite as money became the object and the price on actors' heads became a gauge of their talent and worth. Their personal melodramas and failures became more entertaining than their stage performances, but that's no wonder, as the cream has thinned markedly.

Ordinarily entertainers put on a show separate from the audience; a spectacle imposed on the situation rather than born of it. The people witness the effort and work to arrive at satisfaction. They cheer, yell, then scream to achieve it. In classical cases, they merely cough and sneeze. They applaud in relief when the end comes, hoping the next number will do it. But when magic begins, the separation ceases and the people become full participants, the point of Neptune dissolving boundaries. There's no barrier between the mind, the body, the floor, the walls, the stars, the crowd, the sounds, and the sights. They become one undulating organism. As a performer, when it happens a sort of click comes and I'm no longer expending any effort. I'm no longer playing music, but the music, instead, is playing me. That's what I call entertaining. Holding between.

The first time I experienced it formally in public came during a Tim Hardin concert in Carnegie Hall. The late Colin Walcott (a member of the group Oregon) was playing conga and someone else was on the trap drums. Tim was at the end of his days and not performing well, but in a flicker of a moment, the two drummers connected in a groove that transfixed and transported the audience. Back and forth they rocked in perfect slap, snap, thump and brush harmony, barely able to contain the smiles on their faces. The hall paused and life moved in a serpentine path wiggling easily in and out of our bodies and minds. It was not the personalities. It was the feeling. And the genuine strokes of the artists in unexpected pleasure.

In an added drama, the Capricorn Moon eclipsed the light of the former main attraction. It wasn't supposed to happen that way, but the cold steppes of Russia have not warmed up to the actor as was hoped. In fact, they've been perplexed, wondering why the rest of the world was so weak in the knees. Pluto in Capricorn is opposite his Venus in Cancer, restricting the emotional outpouring. The conjunction is on his South Node in Aquarius representing further isolation. His coldness is showing. Added to that is the transiting Leo South on his Mercury, causing relative communication problems in terms of adulation, and the Aquarius North is on his withdrawing 12th house Jupiter. It could be a time for a bit of retreat from the spotlight, and perhaps a time for humble work considering Saturn leaving Virgo. And if we're lucky, some fresh and different entertainment.

I love American popular music and now that we have a permanent king, I am not completely happy with the choice. I'll live with it. I am happy, however, that music continues to exist in human consciousness. It can be grasped occasionally, and that's probably as it should be. It actually hooked me tonight in Safeway. A funky jazz number in the cleaning aisle. Very funky. I danced by the detergent, although I didn't find the copper cleaner I was looking for...Kleen King. LOL! Life is okay. Amazon's got it.

In great entertainment the real stars descend as the little human stars remain humble enough to receive the light as vessels. Magic moments. Ample seating, and not necessarily expensive. I'll even be around for Neptune in Pisces and maybe that undulating wiggle will come get me again. Or maybe next year with Jupiter in the area. That would be perfect timing. I do so love to dance.

My Stars

2009-07-07T16:26:00.000-07:00

Jupiter, Neptune, Leo South Node
Let Us Pray

The latest object of mass worship was not very talented. A mediocre circus act at best, a carny freak show in the end. Loud, crass, stiff, and overdone. It was a testament to the mutilation of life done to entertain the masses including the desecration of music. Group frenzy, screaming, and extraction of money. Call it what you will, talent doesn't work that way. The death has been the most entertaining moment, has it not?

Jupiter rules icons, Neptune rules worship, and here we have the dilemma spelled out on the blackboard in stark realistic terms under this beautiful Capricorn Full Moon, a harbinger of the Pluto transit to come, especially after Uranus and Jupiter leave Pisces. It would have been nice to have a great moment in human evolutionary advancement, but it didn't work precisely that way. It did bring teaching though.

You can see how lost the masses are and how tragic the urge is to find something to believe in, with real spiritual teaching at this moment's core....the source of one's divinity is in one's self. I still don't know why this eludes people so. Analyzing others is limited in terms of accessing spiritual nourishment. I hope the cosmos has a trick up its sleeve by 29 Pisces.

People are people. Gods and goddesses? Prophets from paradise? Mythic kings and queens? Put a crown on your head and see if it works. And dress your stage up with a billion dollars worth of trinkets. Entertainment? What does it take? The 0 Leo Node hopefully will leave some clues.

Maybe as the crowd goes forward the hero worship will make some progress in winding down. Even an imperceptible sliver would help. I will say that it's better to fall at the feet of an entertainer than some psychotic general leading a nation. So perhaps some progress really is being made. God is a problem, for sure. Love is a four letter word.

I'm optimistic. It's all so obvious. Clear as a star in the black night.

So I'm going to go ahead and believe. None of it really matters, but, you know. Nothing else is going on. Or is nothing going on? I hope so.

Swept Away

2009-06-17T22:49:00.000-07:00

"There is a freaking tidalwave of ideological angst."
Copeland

About three-fourths of the earth is made up of oceanic water which has largely defied human intervention. 95% of the ocean floor is unexplored, and this just-released article related to the matter caught my attention: Oceans charge up new theory of magnetism.
The new and radical theory claims that sea currents are implicated in the magnetism that moves life on earth. That could be so, especially when Jupiter meets Neptune.

Neptune is the entity of chaos and confusion, and there is no evidence from my vantage point that anybody anywhere knows what's happening presently. Aquarius governs circumstance beyond one's control and with the Neptunian dissolution of boundaries, it's a veritable flood, considering Jupiter's juxtaposed inflation.

Realizing our limited control is a way to join with the broader cosmology. Mortals are not in charge. They are part of a flux. Especially when Jupiter stops at Neptune.

Neptune is allied with the alcohol saturated orgiastic releases of Dionysus as people get caught up in the frenzy for an infinite number of reasons. Some want this. Others want that. It's chaos unleashed. Neptune plus Jupiter. Good, bad, and indifferent in perfect unity, if lacking in productivity.

The moon's nodes are now at the 0 degree of Aquarius and Leo and here's what I think in terms of the socio-political. For the past year and a half, the public has been watching grand theater with animated superstars saying most anything for attention and control of the audience. Wild promises and threats have entertained the crowd with little basis in reality. They're fed up with it as mundane woes seriously increase and disappointments mount. It seems as though the rul-ees at 0 Aquarius would like some last minute attention paid to themselves. The drama of the South Node in Leo can exhaust itself, after all. It's only fair that the whole shebang gets the stage at 0 Aquarius for a brief moment. It's the whole group that rules, anyway, if the truth be known.

So as sea water is considered to be a part of the magnetic force that guides life on this planet, the salty tides carry on through. Big ones. The future (Aquarius) is a mystery (Neptune) but so what?

It's the perfect time for a breather. Control belongs to no one, so everyone is off the hook. Divine disorder.

A Penny for a Pirouette

2009-06-16T18:02:00.000-07:00

LOL

2009-06-06T01:17:00.000-07:00

"When scientists set out to trace the roots of human laughter, some chimps and gorillas were just tickled to help. Literally. That's how researchers made a variety of apes and some human babies laugh.

After tickling three human babies and 21 orangutans, gorillas, chimps, and bonobos, and analyzing the sounds, they concluded that people and great apes inherited laughter from a shared ancestor that lived more than 10 million years ago.
Upon measuring 11 traits in the sound from each species, researchers at the University of Portsmouth in England mapped how these sounds appeared to be related to one other. The result looked like a family tree."
Associated Press

Science, man. I wonder what that 10 million year old creature was laughing about.

Going Into Business

2009-05-26T15:00:00.000-07:00

Looking Good

2009-05-17T02:25:00.000-07:00

Aging and Oils

Well, I guess I was prophetic. There's so much human extrusion everywhere -- on the walls, on the floors, on the ceilings, in the streets, in the sewers, in the sky, in the rivers now. Not so much on the mountaintops, maybe. After a couple of cocktails in caveman mode last night, some of it actually looked good.

One elegant woman, in her late 60s or so, was exhibiting some interesting paintings in a 100 year old Victorian house/gallery midtown. After a lifetime of trying to make a business of it, she retired from her other job and returned to art classes. There she was on the old walls. No regrets. No resentments. Just canvas, oil, imagination, and enthusiasm. And time.
The hands of the clock actually turn around and around in the same place. No need to go anywhere, while it's busy coming.

Opening Reception 6:00-9:00

2009-05-10T04:29:00.000-07:00

Here's a painting of an art opening in the caves of Lascaux. Cocktails, it seems, go hand in hand historically with artistic judgement.

Please Do Jive Me

2009-05-05T18:02:00.000-07:00

I am pleased -- no thrilled -- to announce that I've found the best deal on coffee in a decade....$4.99 for 1#10 oz. In the bag are the makings for an excellent brew. Exotic, rich, and satisfying. It takes a minute but eventually it all comes.

The Importance of Education

2009-05-01T03:11:00.000-07:00

Spring, Venus .....

2009-04-29T05:05:00.000-07:00

And the Blues.

On Key

2009-04-26T14:10:00.000-07:00

And on time.

I Surrender

2009-04-22T03:35:00.000-07:00

To the Whims of Paradise
***

Tapping Into Life

2009-04-21T01:26:00.000-07:00

The Rhythm of the Ages

Anna Harper, 88, has been tap dancing for 81 years.

I've been intending to learn how to tap dance for a long long time but being the slow poke I am I haven't gotten around to it yet. I see what I've been missing and it's with a great sigh of relief that I realize I need not rush nor regret my pace. My dream can still come true. Kicking the floor at 90. Dancing till the finale.

Palm Wine and Song

2009-04-19T02:10:00.000-07:00

"The sweet, old West African tradition of palm wine guitar has few great players left. Palm wine music dates back to the days when Portuguese sailors first introduced guitars to West African port cities. Early African guitarists and bottle percussionists played at gatherings where revelers drank the fermented sap of palm trees, a traditional alternative to bottled beer.
Rogie, from Sierra Leone, was/is palm wine music's greatest ambassador. "

The blend of Portuguese and African music has created some of the finest in the world. Palm wine music combines the happy sounds of calypso from Trinidad to create music that belies the circumstances surrounding the origins in the days of the slave trade. This video slips in some reality about today as well. Satire certainly helps. No wonder I love calypso.

"Calypso rhythms can be traced back to the arrival of the first African slaves brought to work in the sugar plantations of Trinidad. Forbidden to talk to each other, and robbed of all links to family and home, the African slaves began to sing songs. They used calypso, which can be traced back to West African kaiso, as a means of communication and to mock the slave masters.
Trinidad was colonized by the Spanish, received large numbers of French immigrants, and was later ruled by the British. This multi-colonial past has greatly impacted the development of calypso in Trinidad. Many early calypsos were sung in a French-Creole dialect called patois. These songs, usually led by one individual called a griot, helped to unite the slaves."

The complex tapestry of language, music, political communication, and connection through travel across the oceans of the world never ceases to fascinate. Happiness is inexplicable and unpredictable, as it weaves in and out of tragedy. We get it all.

My Faith Redeemed

2009-04-16T05:44:00.000-07:00

Venus Goes Direct at 29 Pisces

If you click onto this link you will find a remarkable experience awaiting.

"Susan is a reminder that it's time we all looked a little deeper. She has lived an obscure but important life. She has been a companionable and caring daughter. It's people like her who are the unseen glue in society; the ones who day in and day out put themselves last. They make this country civilised and they deserve acknowledgement and respect.
Susan has been forgiven her looks and been given respect because of her talent. She should always have received it because of the calibre of her character."

I knew something would happen when Venus reached 29 Pisces but never in a million years would have I expected this. Soul and inspiration pop up in the most unusual places, made ever so sweet in the midst of fear and hate over petty things and human realities. The first note Susan sang brought such a release of joy in the crowd, I can't help but think we are in special need of some redemption, some honesty, and have been unable to find it, trying to create it where it doesn't exist, encountering disappointment ... wondering about this thing called hope that's been marketed so extensively. Maybe it's the 29 Pisces, but here is the real thing. And it's rare. The honest treasures of life are woven in and among the threads invisibly. The quote above is from a wonderful article written about this eventful night which states that the beauty that matters is always on the inside. 29 Pisces Venus in its imperfect perfection.
Hugs, kisses, and infinite thanks to Tseka and Joe.

A Noteworthy Study

2009-04-12T02:54:00.000-07:00

I'm pleased to announce that distinguished salt expert, Dr. Boron, together with colleague and biologist, Dr. Fern Fytoid, have been commissioned by the influential organization Scientists and Cellists for Immediate Radical Transformation to study the salt levels of public figures as a possible path to understanding why people behave very similarly to animals at a salt lick. Perhaps it is a mineral imbalance, he surmises, or something in their shoe polish.
Dr. Boron has had considerable success studying the licking behaviors of the South Dakota porcupine. He and Dr. Fytoid are going to combine the results and see if they can relate the natural world to the body politic, in terms of licking.

There have also been some parallels drawn to domesticated dogs and water bowls, but as yet, no one has been formally chosen to study these phenomena.