astrosage

The Reason for the Season.

2011-12-21T12:16:00.000-05:00

A very long time ago, someone noticed something, and felt inclined to share it.

Living in the Northern part of our globe meant that, as the sunrise happened further toward the South, the darkness of night lasted longer, and the Sun rose lower in the sky when it bothered to make an appearance at all, and it also set well south of West.

Wherever our northern ancestors were, they had noticed that, in the early fall, the sun rose in a noticeably different place every morning, moving southward as it went. They had also noticed that, as the nights got longer, the southward progress of Sunrise also slowed.

Eventually it stopped moving southward to rise, rose in about the same place for a week or so, then slowly started to move northward. As the position of sunrise and sunset moved further northward, the nights became slowly shorter. In the far North, of course, the sun didn’t rise at all in mid-winter, and nor did it set in midsummer.

Noticing the position of sunrise, and which direction the sunrise was moving, could tell our ancestors what part of the season they were in, and how soon the changes of season would come. This is information could mean the difference between living and dying for our ancestors.

In order to remember these things, our non-literate ancestors told stories and sang songs so that their children would benefit from their observations. Because they knew the light would return after this day, they held great feasts. During this time, we began to look toward the heavens for the promise of things to come, and we have had astrologers in our midst ever since.

All of this was noticed long before history was ever recorded in words, or details were ever recorded in stone for posterity.

The religions that have developed and survived into the modern era have evolved from those stories, songs, and festivals. Our modern science has found ways to describe the seasonal phenomena in ways that are common to all people regardless of religion.

The return of the light, a festival of great celebration in the Northern tribes, has been adopted by the church as a pseudo-birthday for the christian savior who, being of common birth, never had his true birth date recorded. As the Sun provides sustenance for all life, so the church sees their savior as providing sustenance for the soul. And so a new song was made, and a new tradition started, so that the observations of our pre-literate ancestors were lost in the mythos of the birth of the christian savior.

When a religious person announces to the world that “Jesus is the reason for the season”, I can confidently turn the statement around and say to myself “no, the season is the reason you celebrate Jesus on this day”...and all because many astrologers in many places a long time ago cared enough to share what they observed.

Wishing you all a wonderful solstice celebration, regardless of the name you attach to it !!!

Lunar First Quarter in Aries

2011-01-10T12:44:00.004-05:00

Luna (the Moon) is still in her waxing first quarter as she enters Aries today, and she is nearing her “bends” (as Ashmad so eloquently translates Ptolemy), and is therefore more prone to erratic, creative behaviour. In short, Luna is full of vim and vigour.

This is good news for Venus, who could really use a good stiff tonic after her long march in Scorpio. Luna gives Venus the pep-talk she most desperately needs, and Venus flowers into her radiant, beautiful self in Sagittarius under Jupiter’s favour.

Luna’s next encounter is with Saturn, who enjoys his exalted status in Libra. Luna is intent on creating a brave new world, and Saturn is keen to keep her new world within the bounds of established forms of beauty and order. They have quite an argument, but the fallout is not terrible, Sol (the Sun) sides with Saturn (with considerable concession to Luna) on this round, and Luna moves on, a little ruffled, but undaunted in her optimism.

Next, Luna checks off with Sol, making sure there are no hard feelings over the Capricorn eclipse, and Luna changes her mood from “sowing seeds” to “bearing fruit”. Still in Aries, this means “more, faster, and better”… the pressure for results is on for the coming week.

Exalted Mars is next in Luna’s errands, but exulted though he may be, Mars is currently pressed into service for Sol, so Luna simply cries “more, faster, better” in his ears, and marvels at how well Mars performs when he is constrained by limits and pressed into service.

Mercury is now recovered from his recent retrograde and making his third pass over the late degrees of Sagittarius, gleaning as much information as he can from this transit (and all the gossip about the Lunar eclipse just before Yule), and passing as much information on as he can. Demand for information increases as Luna cries "more faster better" in his ears, and leaves Aries, heading for her beloved Taurus.

Luna’s mantra has been “plant, sow, prepare” since the Capricorn eclipse, and her demand from Sol has been for long-term planning and greater foresight. On January 10, she enters Aries, where “plant-sow, prepare” becomes the pep-talk that inspires great action. Her encounter with Venus happens late that day (wee small hours of the 11th for Australia). Her encounter with Saturn happens later again on the 11th (early 12th in parts East). She makes her first quarter with Sol early on January 12 (very late in Australia), where she takes up her “more faster better” mantra, which she whispers in Mars’ ear later that day (early 13th in parts East). She catches Mercury in the very last degree of Sagittarius just before she slips into Taurus, late on the 12th in the US, wee smalls of the 13th at Greenwich, and well into the morning in Australia.

So what is it with Venus lately?

2011-01-09T20:03:00.003-05:00

Our dear lady of fruitfulness and pleasure has seemed a bit erratic lately, and the discerning astrologer will notice she has spent an awful lot of time in Scorpio.

To understand why this is a big deal, we need to understand a bit more about her.

Venus is named for the irrational desire that overtakes us when our hormones get the better of us. This can be desire for love, desire for vengeance, desire for justice. In the modern world, desire for acceptance and desire for stuff. Desire in itself is not a bad thing, after all, desire gives birth to the love in which desire is mutually shared, but soap operas and historical epics are full of cases in which it goes badly wrong.

For those of you who might be thinking, “Hey, I thought that was Mars”, Mars is the principle of action. Mars represents striving and fighting, the planning and execution of plans, the “doing” of those things that serve our ends. When irrational desire is allowed to define our “ends”, irrational actions ensue, and another soap-opera scenario is born.

Needless to say, this is not a new phenomenon.

Venus’ long march through Scorpio began September 8, 2010. Venus in Scorpio: the planet of emotional desire entered the sign of manifestation and manipulation. Scorpio is Venus’ house of detriment, things go wrong when irrational desire meets manipulative action...

Mars and Venus have been cruising along together for quite a while, first in Libra, and then in Scorpio, they pass each other twice in that dance, which is all very romantic, and a prime environment for romantic foolishness.

If you are looking for some figures… for 99 days of the last 123 Venus has been in Scorpio, many of those with Mars as her consort… but Venus hates figures, so I won’t bore you with the rest of them, however, we may find a surprising number of children born of secret relationships this coming June/July.

A couple of days ago, Venus entered Sagittarius, while Mars has moved on through Capricorn, having his long discussion with the Sun. Venus improves the ambiance in Jupiter’s diurnal home, and Jupiter is already looking pretty jolly in Pisces, so Sagittarius is enjoying a lot of positive energy right now.

In Sagittarius, Venus wears her daytime garb, becoming the goddess of beauty, justice, and judgement. Unfortunately for us, the emotionally unhinged in our communities might have had a bit too much intensity over the past 120 days, and the execution of justice could get very ugly indeed. On a brighter note, inspirational stories should abound, and new buoyancy should inhabit the more progressive people in our midst for the month of January. Images of beauty will undertake a positive shake-up over this period.

On February 4, Venus enters Capricorn, and that is another story.

This Waxing Pisces Moon...

2011-01-07T15:36:00.001-05:00

The Moon is queen of the Zodiac, and ruler of the night. She keeps in touch with everybody by aspect, currently adding moisture and fertility in her waxing light.

The Moon in Aquarius has finished her conversation with Mercury in Sagittarius, and is looking forward to her passage into Pisces.

In Pisces, her first order of business is a brief encounter with Venus (who has just entered Sagittarius), then Sun in Capricorn, then Mars in Capricorn, then Mercury in Sagittarius, then Jupiter in Pisces.

Jupiter’s strong placement over the last year has left both Sagittarius and Pisces feeling very strong. A visit from the waxing Moon inflates that joy.

Sagittarius, full of new ideas from Mercury’s long journey, now feeling Venus’ fruitful presence, will feel twice blessed for five days or so as the waxing Moon shares her light.

Capricorn, feeling the warmth of the Sun and the added warmth of its favourite planet, Mars, also takes extra heart from this waxing Moon.

Other signs feeling the spark of life from this waxing Pisces Moon include Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Virgo, and Scorpio.

Of the transpersonal planets, Neptune bids the Moon good-day as she exits Aquarius, Pluto grabs her attention in Capricorn, and Uranus is hanging out with Jupiter in the last degrees of Pisces.

So, what does it all mean? The Moon moves fast (in astrological terms) and its effects are fleeting but useful. Making the most of its energy as it passes through allows you to make a little bit more out of each day.

Those with strong Pisces, Capricorn, or Sagittarius placements can make more use of the Pisces Moon than Aquarius, Aries, Leo, or Libra placements, but those had a good look at the Aquarius moon and will get a good look at the Aries moon, so nobody dips out for long, and every part of your life can benefit from a lunar transit every few days.

As we learn more about our charts, we can learn to make better use of the things we have.

Sun and Mars getting cosy together

2011-01-06T15:12:00.001-05:00

After a very long time away, I’m going to endeavour to make a simple comment here every day… nothing huge or deep, just “here it is and this is what it might mean”.

The Sun is catching up with Mars in Capricorn, and I thought I’d share a few simple thoughts on that.

Mars is in his exultation in Capricorn, but this turn of the wheel saw the Sun blocking out his light while Mars was still in the last degrees of Sagittarius around December 4. This is called Mars’ “Heliacal Setting”. Any pomp and circumstance that Mars might have enjoyed in Capricorn was overshadowed by a visit from the Sun.

The Sun overtakes Mars around February 4 in the middle of the sign of Aquarius which is a very auspicious point in world affairs.

The Sun and Mars travel through Pisces together until both are in Aries, and its not until around April 15 that Mars can again be seen with the naked eye, (Mars' Heliacal Rising) this time as the owner of the house in which the Sun is exalted.

This speaks of a cosy relationship emerging between leaders and the military, between people of importance and surgeons, between personality and the need for action.

Mid April, while the Sun is still in Aries and Mars is visible, will be a particularly telling week, especially with Saturn also exulted in Libra. I'm expecting to see leaders taking action against establishment forces, but I'm not expecting easy victories...… we’ll see what happens.

Mercury Retrograde in the sign of its own exultation, aka, Mercury retrograde in Virgo.

2010-09-05T11:19:00.002-04:00

Mercury is happiest of all in the sign of Virgo. Yep, pragmatic, anal-retentive, hyper-detail oriented, Virgo. I can just about hear the Gemini’s I know saying, “hang on, communication, music, knowledge, these are all mercurial celebrations....... what’s this about stick-in-the-mud details?”

Well, lets see...... at his heart, Mercury is the great translator.... yes, you heard me, translator. He takes what has meaning to one, and gives it a similar (though not identical) meaning to another through various languages, such as the many languages of speech and writing, the language of mathematics, the language of music, (which is applied mathematics) the language of physics (which is also applied mathematics), the language of astrology (yep, applied mathematics again), and the language of medicine (for which we have still to find the best application of mathematics, because the abuse of statistics is killing us.)

Now, its the similarity of this knowledge that makes all sorts of extraordinary achievements possible, but its the unique meaning, that is uniquely true for each and every person, that extends the realm of what is possible far and beyond the collective understanding.

Lets take Beethoven as an example. I expect it is possible to hear beethoven’s 9th and remain unmoved, but I have never found it possible. However, the things that stir my emotions will vary, slightly, from those that stir yours, and you and I together in our similar and united appreciation, could completely miss the point that Mr Beethoven was making, yet still come away improved for the experience..... and this is the miraculous nature of Mercury, that it is even possible for this to occur.

The gift of translation, so that each person takes away from a common experience those things the person needs to be improved, is Mercury at its finest.

The problem with translation is that it is never perfect. If each hearer takes away a slightly different message, and builds certain assumptions on that message, what happens when those assumptions meet? Often, nothing very much, because the assumptions were similar enough to begin with that they interweave seamlessly when they come back together.

On occasion, however, it is necessary to deconstruct our assumptions in order to homogenize our understanding, this mostly occurs under retrograde Mercury. For this reason, retrograde Mercury is associated with misunderstandings, things blown out of all proportion, arguments that end in impasse, long-term friendships dissolving over trifles and so forth.

For what its worth, retrograde mercury has a lot less to do with blowing up equipment, but the assumptions you made about that faulty equipment are worth examining.

So, what happens when Mercury, in the height of is glory in Virgo, goes retrograde? Well, I guess this period truly defines what all retrograde Mercury’s should look like, after all, Mercury is strongest here, and is more Mercurial than in any other sign.

My expectation is for more disputes to be solved more rationally, and fewer to be left to blow up in an uncontrolled fashion. This doesn’t mean it will always happen that way, Mercury is also a trickster who seems far too fond of folks falling foul of their assumptions, however the assumptions are more likely to come to light in Virgo than in any other sign, and this is where I see more likelihood for resolution of disputes.

We can expect the word ASSUME to make an ASS out of U and ME while Mercury is retrograde in Virgo, and if we are prepared to listen to its lessons, we can learn a lot about each other.

So, while we learn to cut each other a little more slack in our interpretation of details, we can gain the advantage of multiple perspectives.... or we can continue to fight and brawl as usual, its really up to us after all.

Take Care

Rod

Carl B. Smith September 07, 1952 - June 24, 2009

2009-07-24T01:29:00.003-04:00

Carl was my brother, my mentor, and my friend. He was an outstanding astrological theorist, an extraordinary mathematical intellect, and a tenaciously practical metaphysician.

His memorial in the US was conducted on the July 22, 2009 eclipse, which occurred less than 20 arc-minutes from his natal MC.

In early childhood, when I saw something in the evening sky, it was Carl I went to in order to identify it.

His love for astronomy and his fascination with electronics are my earliest impressions of him.

His experiments in hypnotism represent my first meaningful contact with Carl. He remained mindful of the power of suggestion in all of his dealings, and he took extraordinary care when he was reading for others.

Carl had a matter-of-fact way of dealing with the extraordinary and the mysterious that would eventually become his personal trademark.

A deeper relationship with Carl developed for me many years later when, struggling with my own feelings about our father’s death some 7 years after the fact, it was a long and involved conversation with Carl, a conversation that took place over the course of a week or more, that began the process of healing for me.

Carl suggested that it was not only possible, it was in fact necessary, to be thoroughly practical in all matters of metaphysics if one ever hoped to grasp its principles.

Over subsequent years, that long and involved conversation stood me in good stead as I developed my own matter-of-fact approach to asking life’s largest questions and learning its deepest mysteries.

I don't think Carl ever saw himself as my mentor, he just happened to have useful answers to a few of my biggest questions at a couple of important junctures in my life.

Our next coming together was on the topic of Astrology some 10 years after that first conversation.

At that point he shared with me the the 50 or so keywords into which he could distill his 25 years of astrological research, and insisted that I find my own words for each energy signature.

In the exchange that ensued, Carl and I became collaborators and friends.

My own 20 year study of the human condition filled out Carl's keywords in a flash, and an astrological synthesis was born. Carl had developed a mathematical synthesis of the astrology chart, which we have since determined to represent a very accurate picture of how a person sees him or her self, and his or her place in the world.

Carl was nobody’s saint. By his own description, he was self-centered and anti-social, and somewhat insane. He didn’t particularly like himself, and saw no reason why anybody else should like him either. He was not unhappy, in fact he was one of the more contented and centered souls I have known, he just didn’t think of himself a nice person.

It was, ironically, his matter-of-fact acceptance of his many flaws that made it easier for him to share the parts of his life that could benefit others. He loved to help where he could.

His obsessive, tenacious belief in the right-ness of his own cause, coupled with his genius for numbers and his extraordinary attention to detail, afforded him a level of focus that is uncommon among those with better social graces and a more certain hold on reality.

Carl’s genius lay in his fascination with patterns in numbers, a genius that presented itself in fields as diverse as astrology, astronomy, and meteorology. In the art of astrology, he has made a lasting contribution to mathematical synthesis within that art, and in meteorology, his analysis of solar cycles has inspired ground-breaking research into the Sun’s effect on our changing climate.

It was my great pleasure to meet with Carl one final time in June 2008. We spent a few days recapping our many adventures, and it was my solemn duty, as his reader, to prepare him for what lay ahead, the day before he went to the doctors to see about a problem that had developed in the previous months.

Carl’s life has not been marked by landmark discoveries, but there is every chance that his work may inspire a few.

The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' but 'That's funny...'

Isaac Asimov

Astrological Roots: The Hellenistic Legacy, by Joseph Crane. Book Review:

2009-07-21T11:51:00.003-04:00

Astrological Roots is a "must-have" volume for anyone who is interested in ancient astrological technique, but has no desire to abandon the 300 years of astrological development in the post-enlightenment era.

This is the first clearly written "how to" book for ancient astrological techniques that embraces, rather than alienates, the modern astrological practitioner.

When I think of how dry and dusty a work like this could be, I am very glad that this one is neither.

Joseph Crane has a clear and compelling writing voice. He is clearly interested in the subject matter and succeeds in keeping the narrative moving. He manages to make time to clear up the differences in cultural assumptions between the ancient authors and the modern era, yet he never seems to get bogged down with it.

Crane picks up his readers "where they are" and takes them from things that are easily and commonly "known", to shed light on things previously unknown. He expands the base of astrological knowledge methodically and sensibly, without trying to accomplish too much in one volume.

This volume says a lot about techniques, giving clear and simple "how to" steps that make it possible for anyone to try them. He also says quite a bit about how technique is applied, and is honest when a technique is listed but has no ancient references for how it was applied.

I was pleased to see several of his charts featured in virtually every chapter in the knock-down-drag-out style of the ancient authors. I was less amused by a peppering of celebrity charts that illustrate individual points, however I am also aware that many charts illustrating isolated points form the stock-and-trade of the modern astrological author, and adds to the book's appeal to modern astrologers. I'm just a bit of a curmudgeon in that regard.

I would like to see a companion volume that fills out the many uses for these ancient techniques, and investigates a few other techniques that were introduced in the middle ages.

Mundane and Horary volumes would be likewise welcomed.

As a long-time dabbler in the ancient forms of astrology, I find this book indispensable for the clarity with which it lays out the reasoning for the techniques described, and the application to which those techniques are put.

It is a volume that provides great insight for both the ancient Astrology purist, and the modern astrologer alike.

Astrological Roots lays the foundation for the bridge that will eventually span the cavernous rift between modern astrology and its ancient past.

I highly recommend this book to all students of astrology.

Void Moons and Dead Presidents.

2009-01-26T11:03:00.003-05:00

There has been some hysteria in the bloggosphere about void moons and dead/failing presidents.

Mostly, it is astro-hysterical nonsense wherein a few salient facts are highlighted, a great deal of innuendo is attached to the remaining facts, and a lot of important information is omitted.

The tell-tale signs of astro-hysteria are an emphatic (negative or positive) disposition combined with large quantities of astro-jargon, and factoids strung together with innuendo. There is little sound reason behind an astro-hysterical diatribe.

The interest in the Void-Of-Course moon (VOC) and the presidential inauguration on this blog has prompted me to do some research.

Where a President dies or resigns the office, the Vice-President completes the Presidential term as President. This is called Presidency by succession.

The following figures have been rounded within acceptable error for simplicity’s sake-

The basic facts,

• One in six presidential terms have been completed by succession.
• One in six VOC presidential terms have been completed by succession
• One in four presidential terms begin under VOC
• One in four inaugurations occur under VOC

Primary conclusion:
VOC has no noticeable effect on whether or not a president finishes his or her term.

The rest of this post contains various facts, figures, and definitions that support my primary conclusion.

It is my personal opinion that VOC has little real place in mundane astrology beyond its significance in relation to the mood of the people, (see explanation of VOC below).

There are have been 17 Presidential inaugurations under a VOC moon by the medieval definition of the term. (Including the Obama inauguration, whose term is not finished so it is not counted in the rest of the analysis). VOC is a medieval technique which should, for consistency’s sake, only make use of the Classical planets, and Ptolemaic aspect by sign.

The 17 VOC presidential inaugurations are

John Adams, March 4, 1797, 12 noon, Philadelphia, PA
James Monroe, March 4, 1817, 12 Noon, Washington, DC (1st term)
James Monroe, March 4, 1821, 12 Noon, Washington, DC (2nd term)
Andrew Jackson, March 4, 1831, 12 Noon, Washington, DC (2nd term),
James K. Polk, March 4, 1845, 12 Noon, Washington, DC
Millard Filmore, July 09, 1850, 22:30, Washington, DC (succession)
William McKinley, March 4, 1897, 12 Noon, Washington, DC (1st term),
Woodrow Wilson, March 4, 1917, 12 Noon, Washington, DC (2nd Term)
**Franklin D. Roosevelt, January 20, 1945, 12 Noon, Washington, DC (4th term)
Harry S. Truman, April 12, 1945, 16:35 Washington, DC (succession)
Harry S. Truman, January 20, 1949, 12 Noon, Washington, DC (2nd term)
**John F. Kennedy, January 20, 1961, 12 Noon, Washington, DC
**Richard M. Nixon, January 20, 1973, 12 Noon, Washington, DC (2nd term)
Gerald R. Ford, August 9, 1974, 12 Noon, Washington, DC (succession)
Bill Clinton, January 20, 1997, 12 Noon, Washington, DC (2nd term)
George W. Bush, January 20, 2001, 12 Noon, Washington, DC (1st term)
Barack Obama, January 20, 2009, 12 Noon, Washington, DC

In all there have been 55 presidential terms, begun by 34 different elected presidents and 9 of these terms have been interrupted necessitating completion of the term by succession.

Roughly one in six presidential terms has required completion by succession since 1789.

64 inaugurations have transpired for 43 presidents. The current President is number 44.
Of the 64 inaugurations, 16 have taken place under VOC moon. Roughly one in four inaugurations takes place under VOC moon.

Of the 16 inaugurations under VOC moons, 3 have been interrupted requiring succession. This represents slightly more than one in six, but less than one in five, however it does not represent a significant departure from one in six.

Of the 55 presidential terms determined by election, 13 have started under a VOC moon. Roughly one in four presidential terms has begun under a VOC moon.

Of the 47 presidential terms completed without succession, 10 have started under a VOC moon. Roughly one in 5 presidential terms that ran their full measure have taken place under a VOC inauguration.

All 9 presidencies by succession fulfilled the term of the original president. Three of these successions happened under VOC moons.

William McKinley was assassinated, but in his second term, not his first term.

James Monroe and Harry Truman both had two VOC terms, none of which were cut short.

For clarity, these are my definitions.

Void of Course Moon:
A chart wherein the Moon applies to no Ptolemaic aspect or bodily conjunction with a Classical Planet before leaving the sign it is in: where “applies to” means approaching aspect (as opposed to “separating” or leaving aspect), “Ptolemaic aspect” is opposition, square, trine or sextile by sign, “Classical Planet” refers to the 5 visible planets plus the Sun and Moon.

Explanation:
VOC is a medieval technique used primarily in Horary astrology (asking direct questions of the heavens) and Electional astrology (selecting auspicious times). In both of those occasions, the chart is purely subjective, the chart is dictated by no influence external to the question.

In my opinion, there is no place for modern planets in the application of the VOC principle. The VOC principle took shape a long time before Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto were discovered.

Presidential inaugurations are determined by factors outside the control of the President or anyone involved. I am disinclined to use VOC beyond the Moon as indicator of the direction of the people in mundane astrology.

Inauguration of the President:
Noon on the date at which the previous term expires, or the moment of death or incapacity of a sitting president, whereby the Vice President assumes the office of president. There are accurate times for all of these events.

Explanation:
The Office of President is obtained by the vote of the electoral college, or by the death or incapacity of the sitting President.

A President assumes office at the beginning of his or her term or the Vice President assumes the Office upon the death or incapacity of the sitting President. The pertinent wording in the constitution considers the Office to be conferred without pause from one term to the next. Where a President dies or is otherwise unable to complete the term, the Vice President becomes President for the remainder of the term.

The Oath of Office allows the President to execute the Office, but cannot be construed as the means by which the office is obtained.

Therefore, the Presidential term begins at Noon on the day of inauguration, regardless of when or how the oath of office is sworn. The remainder of the term belongs to the Vice President should the president die or become incapacitated. The Vice-President-now-President takes the partial term from the moment of incapacity or death.

There is never a time at which there is no President. There have been moments when the president has no capacity to execute the office he or she holds. Those are the moments, where they exist at all, between the assumption of office and taking the Oath of Office.

So, to be clear, all of my inauguration charts are for the moment the office is assumed, irrespective of the vagaries of the time the Oath of Office was sworn.

Void of Course Moon and the Obama Inauguration.

2009-01-11T21:50:00.004-05:00

Void of Course Moon and the Obama Inauguration.

This will be short and sweet: I’ve just read this article about the timing of the inauguration and the void-of-course moon.

The most common interpretation for Void of course moon is “nothing will come of the matter” and it is, indeed, a taboo for the astrology of selecting times, and it is a major indicator of weakness for an event indicated in horary astrology, (the astrology of answering questions).

The inauguration of the president is neither a selected time, (the time is determined by the constitution) nor is it the subject of a personally arrived at “question” between client and astrologer. Therefore “nothing will come of the matter” is meaningless in this context.

The inauguration is an event chart. According to the Constitution of the United States, Barack Hussein Obama becomes President of the United States of America at noon on January 20. If something goes wrong at 11:59:59 am, it is George W. Bush’s problem. At 12:00:00 pm it is Barack Obama’s problem regardless of when the band plays, who sings what, or when the President says, “I do”.

The inauguration chart reflects the nature of the presidential term. It does not reflect the future of the country. There are other charts for that.

In this event, a void-of-course moon means “the people lack self-direction” and this will be a signature of the first Obama term. The fiercely self-determined Americans are hurting from the financial collapse, and are looking for leadership. This is a time when leaders must step up to the plate and provide direction.

The plight of the people will be a major source of challenge to the President, and it will stay that way for his entire term. I doubt the President will feel that he has managed to do enough to ameliorate the suffering of the people, as he sees it, by the end of his term.

If the people lack leadership, then strong leadership must be supplied. If the Obama presidency focuses on “shepherding” the people, he will fulfill the obligation of this void-of-course moon in his inauguration chart.

The chart is what it is, there are many challenges in it, and wishful thinking about the moment the President takes his oath of office won’t change anything.

In my opinion, astrologers will do far better to advise leaders based on real charts and functional reality rather than grandstanding on astrological whimsy.

EDITED January 28- I have changed the introductory sentence to be less dismissive of Ms Ackerman's article. My inner cynic got the better of me in the moment. My apologies to all.

Office of the Bean Counter: Retrograde Mercury and the Obama Inauguration

2009-01-09T00:24:00.003-05:00

If there is a symbol of retrograde Mercury’s influence on the Obama presidency, it is his appointment of Nancy Killefer as Whitehouse Chief Performance Officer. Yep, the federal office of the Bean Counter. Mind you, if ever the Whitehouse was in need of such a position, it is now!!

Retrograde Mercury’s signature is “attention to detail” and, being a few arc-minutes form the Sun, the president’s focus for this term, like it or not, will be attention to every detail of government.

The reason retrograde Mercury gets such a bad rap is that we are often inclined to leave details to chance. Retrograde Mercury makes certain that lack of forethought and lack of attention come home to roost. The other function that Mercury performs in retrograde is bringing an abrupt end to falsehood. President-elect Obama has said he will take on the culture of corruption in Washington, this chart suggests he will honor his word in that regard.

Before I go any further, the personality of the President is very important here. For any candidate for whom attention to detail is “someone else’s problem”, retrograde Mercury this close to the Sun would portend a catastrophic presidential term. However, for a president for whom attention to detail is already important, this chart plays to that strength.

In the US natal chart used for ancient astrology purposes, (March 19, 1789. Aries ingress), Mercury is retrograde in Pisces and tightly conjunct three other planets. US systems operate under Mercury’s retrograde influence where Mercury is in its detriment and fall.

Of particular note in the US natal chart is the principle that the people, and thus the country as a whole, can only do well when the interests of the wealthy are also served. Any Obama solution in this economic crisis has to include some stimulation for one sector or another of private industry.

The USA has one of the most inordinately complex, unwieldy, cumbersome bureaucratic systems in the world…. yet it functions in spite of itself. This complex system is dominated by the interests of the wealthy, though the interests of the wealthy (Jupiter) are in the sign of the common people (Cancer) in the inception chart. The tension between the interests of the wealthy and the interests of the common people is the on-going dynamo that drives American progress. Those who pay close attention to detail do well in American bureaucracy, those who don’t are blind-sided by details from left-of-field. It is really easy for the average person to be baffled by the bologna.

America’s dysfunctional bureaucracy will demand most of the President’s attention for this term. The interests of the wealthy will be sidelined for a while, however the president needs to be aware that those interests are also organic to America’s long-term prosperity.

Where the economy has been driven by banking and manufacturing over the last 100 years, there is nothing to say that this has to continue, however one sector or another of private wealth has to do well for the country to prosper. President-elect Obama is in a unique position wherein he gets to nominate which industries will do well going forward.

He is in a position where he could nationalize US currency and take it out of the hands of the banks for a while, cutting off the power of the international banks at the knees (the mathematical incongruity of the current monetary system is what has caused this mess… changing the way that US currency is issued could remove the necessity for eternal growth from the financial system, which in turn would place far less strain on environmental and social systems… however I digress).

Mercury retrograde in the inauguration chart, then, means that the President must be on top of the details of all of the nation’s systems for his entire term.

I am concerned about a major communications infrastructure failure, which would be catastrophic in this country. Should this occur (and a 3rd house solar eclipse in January makes that very possible) the country could be literally brought to a stand-still overnight. Communications companies are vulnerable, and were it my job to apportion the federal stimulus, a large portion would go to communications infrastructure, along with roads and bridges… all of which are retrograde Mercury concerns.

For what its worth, the President-elect appears to be up to the daunting challenge that faces him. He has been attending to the details of his new government since he won the election.

The Obama Inauguration

2009-01-07T01:50:00.003-05:00

Tuesday January 20, 12:00 pm, Washington DC, USA.

The president’s term begins at Noon according to the constitution, regardless of what time the swearing in takes place.

The chart for the inauguration sets the tone of the administration, and while there are no real surprises here, I think the astrology is very telling. I won’t spend a lot of time on this because it is difficult to separate my own hopes for this administration from the reading.

When I looked at this inauguration chart 6 months ago, I wondered what issue would dominate the inauguration, and portend poorly for any real success. I also looked at the Aries ingress for 2009, and saw a huge values issue, figured it would probably be a financial mess, but I had no idea just how bad the mess would be by the time we got to the inauguration. No I didn’t predict the meltdown (though lots of financial astrologers were doing so), I figured things were already bad enough to warrant the things I saw.

Now that we are here and we can see clearly what is happening, it is the financial crisis that is dominating this inauguration, and it will be this crisis that impedes any sense of success in this first Obama term.

President Obama will have achieved enormous success, in my view, if the USA of 2012 is stable and making incremental progress towards growth. But this, of course, does not mean significant growth in absolute terms, and this lack of absolute growth is strongly indicated in the inauguration chart.

President Obama will retain his great standing with the international community, and will do great things to restore America’s image as a leading light in the world. He will be a Leader’s leader.

At home, he faces a different picture. The hopes of the people are pinned on him for a “miracle” to ease the pain of the economic crisis. The miracle is not forthcoming. Obama’s message will be one of hard work and sacrifice, which is actually the message the people need to hear, but it is not the one they want to hear. The downturn will cause significant loss, hardship, and a fundamental redistribution of wealth. These material losses will overshadow any good the president does in office in the minds of the people. This will present a significant, though not insurmountable, challenge for the President should he seek re-election in 2012.

Military strength will dominate foreign policy. The President will use the military wisely, efficiently, and very effectively, which will go a long way to restoring the image of the US military as a force for the greater good.

In short, the Obama presidency will be sold, stable, and enduring. He will do great things for the USA abroad, and will not fare as well domestically as he grapples with the reality of the economic crisis.

The Astrology

The inauguration of the US president is always timed to have a Taurus ascendant, assuring stability in all but the most exceptional of cases.

A diurnal chart with the sect ruler in detriment, Jupiter combust, and Saturn out of sect in the 5th. This is a period where unilateral leadership is forced to yield to a more nocturnal spirit of collaboration, a process which yields surprisingly good results in some areas, though the nocturnal ruler, the Moon, is also poorly placed and void of course. The Obama first term is characterized by frustration overall, with a couple of very bright spots to offset the frustration just a little.

Mercury retrograde exact conjunct the Sun in Aquarius, an issue of commerce (or other systems) dominates the inauguration. Not only is Mercury retrograde and combust, it is in mutual reception with Saturn who is also retrograde in Virgo, the 5th house. This is “a lot of no fun” raining on the inauguration party.

Jupiter combust the Sun in Aquarius. Growth is overshadowed by the President’s attention to the economic crisis. While it may be theoretically possible to post growth figures, the President will be more interested in fixing the problem.

Moon, void of course in Scorpio, the 7th house. The people are feeling powerless and hold some resentment to the president over the course of the term. There may be talk of armed insurrection, but it comes to nothing. Many will be devoted to service within their communities to achieve a higher purpose.

Venus, ascendant ruler, exalted in Pisces, the 11th house. This portends extremely well for the presidency as far as international reputation is concerned. International reputation is one of the two bright spots. The charisma of the President will be sufficient to inspire hope and higher ideals on the domestic level.

Mars, ruler of the Moon, exalted in Capricorn, the 9th house. This suggests a well-organized military that achieves a great deal and returns triumphant. It also suggests that the military will assist with stabilizing the economy.

Saturn, ruler of the Sun, Mercury, Jupiter, and Mars, retrograde in Virgo, the 5th house. This represents negative growth, little commerce, an economy lacking the spark of vitality.

To finish on a positive note, the president is “on the job”, right on it!! Not only can he not avoid it, he will not run away from it or pretend it doesn’t exist. The situation could be a lot worse than it is. To have a level-headed, intelligent, charismatic leader at this time means that the trouble will be short-lived, and the USA should be on the right track, if not on the road to recovery, by the end of the first Obama term.

Working Towards a Brighter Future.

2009-01-05T23:42:00.002-05:00

Having laid out a prediction for what will go down in history as one of the most challenging years America has ever faced, I feel the need to spend a few minutes sharing the benefits to be gained in such challenging times.

There are two distinct reactions we can have to difficulty.

We can isolate ourselves from our friends and neighbors in the interests of protecting “me and mine”. I think of this as the protectionist reaction, the very best result of which can be no further loss, however isolation precipitates a much greater loss which is measured not in dollars and cents, but in depreciation of the human spirit. You see, the magic inherent in humanity is that the potential of the group far exceeds the combined potential of the individuals within it.

I remember once, in a small town in Australia, there was a “100 year” flood that threatened the entire downtown business district. On that day, I watched sworn enemies, men who had not exchanged a civil word in twenty years, work side-by-side filling sandbags and building a levy to save the business of a third person whom they both despised.

In a moment of real and present danger, these folk were possessed of a humanity that went past their petty differences, and appealed to the far deeper human need to protect the whole community. Without the whole community, even those members they did not like, the community itself would fail, and failure of the community would threaten everybody’s survival.

There are times when we are required to put our differences aside for the greater good of our community, and this is one of those times.

The most recent lunar eclipse in August last year is one I described as the “Momentary Lapse of Reason” eclipse, where we, the people, are tending towards escape and idealism rather than reality or responsibility. This spirit of hope and idealism ably assisted Barack Obama in his run for the presidency. For millions of Americans, reality has come-a-calling under this eclipse in the form of pink-slips and economic upheaval, however that has not stopped the people from believing in a better tomorrow, right around the corner.

The coming lunar eclipse in February will bring it all home to the personal level. This could be a really good thing, or a really bad thing, depending on what we do with it.

The reality of our economic crisis will begin to sink in with the February eclipse.

This crisis IS as potentially catastrophic as the great depression.

This realization will cause people to take serious stock of themselves, their families, and their real situation.

This will throw some people into isolation mode. They will see the coming times as a serious threat, and treat everyone around them as potentially threatening. Many will erect a barrier between themselves and the outside world, and try to survive as best they can, receiving no help from anybody, and giving no help in return. Using the rhetoric of independence to mask their fears, they become bitter, cold, angry, and hard. They can do no different, for their environment and their fears will shape them.

Another group of people will, perhaps for the first time in decades, or even the first time in their lives, realize the magnitude of the problem facing the entire community. These folks will put their shoulder to the wheel, working alongside their sworn enemies, realizing that the problem facing their community is bigger than the squabbles that have kept them apart. Realizing also that, if our enemies go under, we go under with them.

Unlike a natural disaster, which is usually over quickly even if the aftermath takes a while to repair, this problem is man-made and hits everyone at the hip-pocket. It will last for a long time. It will affect everyone.

The energy of the February lunar eclipse, is Leo, the energy of the self. This influences the mood of the people for this most crucial period from February to June,

The people can insulate themselves in fear at this time, using Leo to represent “ more for Me and Mine, I can’t concern myself with You and Yours” or they can step up to the plate, saying “Me and Mine are in it with You and Yours, how can we help each other?”

There is potential in this eclipse for great things to come out of hard times. How we fare in these times will be determined, to a large degree, by the attitude we take.

The June lunar eclipse comes with the imperative “something has to be done” and wise leaders will be right there in the trenches with their people forging a plan. The eclipse period is very short, with another coming in August. This will be a period of transition from “really difficult times” to rolling up the sleeves and getting something done.

The July Solar eclipse will have the leaders persuaded to serve the needs of families, and on a broader scale, the people as a whole. This will energize the people briefly.

The August Lunar eclipse sees the people developing a stronger sense of common purpose, there will be more for people to do, and they will get about doing it.

As always, there is potential for negativity here as well, but I will address that closer to the day, when I see how these events transpire, and which of the many possible threats actually looms on the horizon at that time.

In difficult times, we have elected a president who is a thinker, a doer, a negotiator, a bringer of people to a common purpose. Much will be asked of him in his first 6 months in office, and I would much rather a president who is on the job and active in the pursuit of a better future, than one who would prefer to stand back and let the market forces determine our destiny.

I am not naïve enough to believe that president Obama can avert the trouble that is coming, I am hopeful, however, that he will display sufficient leadership to inspire the people to work towards a better future, rather than to squabble among themselves over the scraps left from the past.

With the right leadership, from the Whitehouse to the local PTA, great gains can be made from difficult times.

The year ahead, 2009, USA.

2008-12-31T02:27:00.003-05:00

The year ahead, 2009, USA.

With the economy in tatters from the Wall-Street meltdown, anyone anticipating sweetness and light in the coming year is in for a rude shock.

President Obama takes his oath of office under the same eclipse that brought Wall Street to its knees and repositioned recession (which was a much-danced-around taboo until September) and placed it as a favorable option when compared to its gloomy cousin, depression.

The US government was held to account to the people for its mal-administration of the economy.

While I believe full-scale meltdown into depression can be averted, it will not be without a lot of hard work from the government and deep resolve from the people.

President Obama enters his first term feeling the need to give account to the people for his every action. A large part of his appeal is transparency in the Whitehouse, which lays in direct contrast to the behavior of his predecessor. It is to his credit that he is responding to this need with the most transparent executive branch in history, but it will be interesting to see how long this lasts. While I would like it to remain the case in perpetuity, US history tells me a different story. We’ll see.

As the year progresses, the economic situation will worsen before it shows any signs of getting better. Destabilization will peak in the quarter from March to June, it will even out a little in the quarter from June to September, the year’s most stable quarter will be September to December, but normalcy is unlikely to return until March 2010, at which time a more certain path forward will emerge, though the 2010 year is still relatively unstable.

In short, the economic crisis is deep, it is protracted, it is global, and there are no quick fixes. The best hope is to ride out the storm as best we can, and plan for better days in the medium to long term.

The people will suffer most of all, with serious erosion of core values. Desperation will lead people to do things they had thought unthinkable, and become the people they had previously despised. The notion that “If I am good I will be OK” will take a serious hammering. We have already suffered enormous job-losses, and the US infrastructure is ill-equipped to deal with large-scale unemployment. The subsequent drop in those covered by health insurance will force more people into emergency care with fewer resources to deal with it. The stage is set for a depression-like episode, however I think the worst of it will be fairly short-lived.

I can see President Obama at his lowest public opinion ebb in the quarter from Cancer (late June) to Libra (late September), after which he begins to restore some respectability, to his name, to the Whitehouse, and to the country, however it will be 2012 before the economy and the country begin to gain lasting traction.

The president will need the tenacity to hold on through the toughest times in most people’s memory, and realize that even the very best he is capable of will fall short of what is required in the short term.

The government and clergy of the USA will do well to emphasize introspection, compassion, and care for our fellow man. Much needs to be made of “pulling together” when the going gets tough, lest the society fragment into violent, competitive interest groups.

Step by step through the year…..

Inauguration day will be the highlight of what will turn out to be a very bleak year.

The president will look good, the people will be wowed. The president will display the steady hand that he needs to have to see these times through, and despite the tough times ahead, his presidency looks like it will endure, though it will not accomplish all that it has set out to do. Cleaning out the culture of corruption in Washington will be the hallmark of this presidency, though it will be interesting to see how he manages to do this while working with the very people he needs to reform. The waning moon suggests that this term of his presidency will be about ending the old era more than about starting a new one.

The January 26 solar eclipse, just a week after the inauguration, sees the hopes and dreams of the people pinned to their president and his ideals. This is not an eclipse that allows a lot to be accomplished, however it stresses that the greatest good of the people is in fostering strong community and neighborhood spirit. That is just about all that the people will have going for them in the next 6 months. There will be talk of war and civil unrest, which the executive branch will try desperately to ignore. They will be forced to face it soon enough.

The February 9 Lunar eclipse brings the reality of the financial crisis home to many Americans. While their welfare is best served by “keeping the faith” the majority of Americans are going to feel isolated, alone, and disillusioned for this lunar eclipse period, which ends in July.

The Aries ingress of March 20 ushers in the most punishing quarter of the year. By mid-June, the country is going to feel awash, the crisis will look insurmountable, the fabric of the society will begin to tear and people will wonder just how low it can go. This will be the darkest period of all, however it will not endure for long. The country will slowly, tentatively, show some signs of hope. It will actually be a couple of years before it begins to really recover, but the worst of the storm is over by June 21, and the fits and starts of the economic solutions begin, falter, regroup and slowly take root enough for people to get some confidence going.

The Cancer ingress of June 21 begins to staunch to the flow. This is not so much an upward trund, but a “less downward” trend, and the first hint of anything that resembles progress. During the economic crisis, there will military or other overseas crises that have been brewing and will then require some attention. They will still not get much attention, but they should not be ignored. There is both strength and resolve in the treasury, and while it is not enough to do any real good, it is a good place to start.

The Lunar eclipse of July 7 sees the first real glimpse that the president understands the plight of the people. He will present a detailed plan that will focus on family and core values, the people will finally feel as though they have been heard and will come together behind a plan. The “lost in the woods” feeling that took root in February will abate in favor of “it’s a hard row to hoe, but somebody’s got to do it”.

The solar eclipse later that month, (July 21) in the last degree of Cancer shows the people, unable to do anything about the economic crisis themselves, turning to family and core values, the only part of this mess in which they have any influence. While this has no measurable impact on the country as a whole, the exercise is a vital first step in restoring the will of the people. The dark side to this influence, and one that is commonly used in American politics, is that the entire economic and political debate can be sidetracked by dividing people over such issues as gay marriage, thereby sowing discord and strife in the name of family values at a time when the people are most vulnerable.

The Lunar Eclipse of August 5 brings out the idealistic side of the people again, as difficult plans are solidifying into difficult realities, life is not particularly pleasant or fruitful, but at least it is productive, and that is a start. The specter of war and/or terrorism occupies the minds of congress at this time.

The Libra ingress of September 22 brings with it the first glimmer of hope that things might be turning around. It provides the most stable quarter in the last several years, but it is only, alas, one quarter. There is a long way to go from here, but optimism increases for this little while at least.

The Capricorn ingress of December 21 sustains hope, but the stability of the previous quarter evaporates as a stronger military anxiety emerges. I will discuss this further as the time draws near and a clearer picture emerges. The Capricorn ingress is more important to the first quarter of 2010

The December 31 Lunar eclipse again brings the focus on the family as the issue that influences the people most, but that is a discussion for early 2010.

This is what Mars in Libra looks like

2008-08-19T13:07:00.003-04:00

... I swear I had no sooner put my post up than a friend sent this to my in-box

Armed 85-year-old woman forces intruder to call cops

POINT MARION, Pa. (AP) — An 85-year-old woman boldly went for her gun and busted a would-be burglar inside her home, then forced him to call police while she kept him in her sights, police said.

the rest of the story here

Gotta laugh when it makes the headlines. The extremely observant will notice that Mars was still in the last degree of Virgo when this incident happened, but the headline on the day of the Mars' Libra ingress is priceless.

Enjoy!!

Rod

Mars in Libra – What’s a Body to Do?

2008-08-19T12:49:00.002-04:00

When Mars is in a diurnal sign, like Libra, He’s is in “get-er-done” mode. To hell with motivation and planning, Mars wants action and lots of it in diurnal signs. His diurnal home is Aries, home of exclusive binary logic and action without deep consideration of consequence. Mars is single-minded by day, taking his point of view as white, and the opposing point of view as black.

In Libra, he is in the diurnal home of Venus, the place of justice and of hearing the “other” point of view. This is large bunches of “no-fun” for Mars, and for this reason, Libra is considered one of the homes of Mars’ detriment. (The other is Taurus). Mars can see clear across the Zodiac to his Aries home, and wishes he were there instead of here.

Mars is forced to hear reason in Libra, which is not altogether a bad thing, but it does mean that he can’t get as much accomplished as he might otherwise. For Mars, this is frustrating, for the rest of us, it makes for calmer conditions!

In the real world, this means that those trying to get things accomplished or activated are going to come up against barriers posed by opposing points of view. Military operations will wind down a little, and negotiations between warring parties are likely to be more fruitful. Aggressive political campaigns are likely to be stymied in favor of a better-reasoned approach. Surgeons may suffer from indecision, though corrective surgery from previous errors/failures is likely fare better.

If you are the owner of a Libra Mars, there is probably a bit of hesitation involved in anything you try to accomplish. You might find this transit to be helpful, because the rest of the world is experiencing, for a short while, the hesitation that is part of your nature. You might find you can broker a truce between warring parties, or at very least talk somebody out of doing something really brash.

The hard part for a Libra Mars person is working out when to act, and realizing that this is an issue goes a long way to resolving it. Troublesome placements mean we have to work harder than most to make good use of what might otherwise be considered a character flaw. Some of the more decisive people with Mars in Libra include Bill Clinton, Winston Churchill, and Margaret Thatcher (source astrodatabank). One might accuse these folks of many things, but indecision is not amongst them. One has to wonder how hard they worked to overcome indecision in their earlier years. All of them appear to be better acquainted than most with the opposing point of view, and there lies the useful element of Mars in Libra

Mars is a nocturnal planet, taking great delight in firing up the nocturnal signs and putting scattered emotions and tireless activity into a passionately focused goal.

It has done that job in Virgo, and while Mars will always be seen as malefic, the nocturnal signs are nevertheless a little better for the shake-up, even if they didn’t enjoy it. Mars is moving very quickly in Libra, so the limited aggression and active frustration of this sojourn will be short-lived, beginning August 19th and ending October 4th.

People with diurnal charts (born during the daylight hours) will experience less aggression under this transit, those with nocturnal charts (born at night) will experience more frustration.

All up, Mars in Libra will be marked by what didn’t happen rather than by what did, though some truly fruitful negotiations may come out of it.

Take Care

Rod

A Momentary Lapse of Reason

2008-08-14T10:57:00.002-04:00

Lunar Eclipse August 16, 2008
… with apologies to Pink Floyd…

The coming Lunar eclipse occurs in the “out there” sign of Aquarius, with Neptune sitting right there …on the dark side of the moon… (somebody’s gonna shoot me…).

While it might sound like I’ve been inhaling or ingesting psychotropic substances, the psychedelic 60’s will seem strangely familiar by the end of this eclipse season.

We are closing a very serious period where the public have become excruciatingly aware of realities and responsibilities, but have been largely powerless to do much about it. This was the Virgo (details and organization) eclipse back in February, when Saturn (structures, rules, cold, hard reality) conjoined the Moon (the mood of the people) , and brought its reality check along for the ride.

Personally we have felt that we had the inalienable right to tell everybody else how to live their lives. Only the very circumspect have managed to avoid sounding judgmental, but that doesn’t mean we weren’t thinking it!!

This eclipse marks a pendulum swing towards oblivion

So, here’s where it ends. (or, dare I say, -All things must pass- sorry George) We move from picky and judgmental thought police to a community of flower-child-space-cadets in a fell swoop that will boggle the mind.

The burden moves away from service and towards awareness, away from attention to minutia and towards social connectedness, away from restriction and towards freedom.

This eclipse falls in Aquarius, and which means the Aquarian chunk of your life (yes we all have one somewhere!!) will get a heftier-than-usual dose of moonshine!!

Regardless of what the Election advertising gurus think, there is likely to be a move away from negative rhetoric in the minds of the public. The smart money will feature lots of flower-child music. The street thuggery and finger pointing that is currently so effective in some quarters, will very quickly become “old hat”. The new influence on the mood of the people will be Aquarius (group-mind, community-thinking) with big dose of Neptune (reality, what reality, which perspective on reality are we talking about?).

We will be more persuaded by illusion than by reality. This could be a really good thing, or a really bad thing, depending on which party is savvy to it, and spins the most appealing line.

The will of the people will be most easily seduced by sweet-sounding, though well organized, flim-flam. While there’s nothing new about that, it should be a key feature of polls in the months leading up to the election.
Personally, I could use a few months of love-peace-and hippie-talk. It beat the hell out of -The Dogs of War- (yeah I had to get another one in)

Take care

Rod

Mercury in Virgo. What’s all the noise about?

2008-08-13T22:17:00.001-04:00

Mercury is about to emerge from the Sun’s rays (where we can physically see him), and a that point, we get to hear what he thinks about the warrior Mars, the auditor Saturn, and the petulant princess Venus having a heavy duty gripe-session in his pristine Virgo home.

Mercury is at home in Virgo. It is his nocturnal home and he is in his nocturnal phase with the Sun. It is not necessarily a tidy place, but everything has its place, everything has a theme, and systems rule!!. Virgo hosted the most recent Lunar eclipse, and so there is still a lot of emotional charge in his usually emotionally neutral home. As he entered Virgo, he was still obscured by the light of the Sun, which for us means he is still doing the bidding of the Sun and not able to voice his own concerns.

That’s about to change, and for a few days between the time that Mercury finds his voice and Mars makes a hasty exit to Libra (August 19) Virgo is likely to become uncharacteristically vocal.

We can expect a lot of noise from the service industry in particular. Technical support and all manner of logistics personnel are likely to become vocal for a few days.

Many with strong Virgo placements are likely to find a voice for their often-repressed energy, and perhaps the rest of us will listen for a change!!

Those with Nocturnal charts (sun below the Ascendant/Descendant axis) will find their analytical and organizational skills strengthened by this transit, and, as already stated, the Virgo chunk of your chart will find it voice and demand to be heard.

Those with Diurnal charts (sun above the Ascendant/Descendant axis) will find their Virgo placements with no less energy, however they will be less vocal, and more resolute over the same period.

As the Lunar eclipse on August 16th removes the emotional trigger from Vigo and imparts it to Aquarius, so the volatility of Mars and the discontent of Venus will settle a little. This means we only have a couple of days of high intensity Virgo-in-a-pissy-mood, which will be a relief, because Virgo is a great sign with a lot to offer.

As Mars moves off into Libra, August 19th, Venus will become more agitated in Virgo, but Mars will be less volatile. That suggests that Virgo goes back to being rather picky with a strong voice, but it now lacks the impulse to act on it and force itself on others.

Saturn, of course, remains in Virgo, he has been there a while and will stay a good while yet, long after all of this fuss has settled. Saturn plays a repressive role in Virgo, but even the mighty Saturn is seriously out-numbered in the short-term. The lid is likely to come off Virgo’s powder-keg, but Saturn will make certain that it returns some long-term gain.

So, when the godawful din has just about driven you to distraction, you can remind yourself that this is only a couple of days, and it will gradually get easier.

Take Care

Rod

Construct a chart by hand

2008-08-12T16:34:00.002-04:00

Construct a chart by hand:

This is a promo for a class I am running locally. If there is interest, I might consider an on-line tutorial, but I would need to work out how best to achieve that.

A 6 week workshop designed to evaluate the best method for you to use in creating a chart by hand, and then lots of hands-on practice, with oversight, until you develop some proficiency.

Cost: $90.00

Dates : Tuesday / Saturday afternoons in September-October (to be finalized based on interest)

Place: East Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA

Additional requirements: You will need to be prepared to practice in your own time to gain proficiency. If you wish to continue the practice, you will need an ephemeris and tables, and an atlas for the truly self-sufficient.

10 places available. I will do both Tuesday and Saturday if there is sufficient interest in both.

Constructing a chart by hand is valuable in many ways

Every hand-erected chart includes a great deal of investment in the subject by the astrologer. This bond exists inherently in the hand-erected chart, the bond needs to be developed when using a computer-generated chart.

A mind already centered on accuracy will read a chart with greater clarity.

Understanding how our position on the globe effects the houses of the chart forms important groundwork for relocation astrology, and underlines the importance of accurate data.

This course is designed to help you fulfill a major technical component of the NCGR Level 1 exam. (there is no guarantee that you will pass, but I will do my best to help you get there). In that exam you must be able to calculate planet and house cusp positions on a blank sheet of paper using an atlas, an ephemeris, and sets of tables.

Other skills required for the NCGR exam include plotting planets on a pre-drawn blank chart using quadrant houses and assessing planetary aspects based on those positions.

Students who achieve early proficiency in chart calculation will receive instruction in some of the other technical requirements for the exam.

PLEASE NOTE: The NCGR handbook outlines the many areas of astrology that the student needs to have a grasp of to pass the exam. While this technical component is large, it is not the only requirement.

I hope to see some of you there, please state your preference for Tuesday/Saturday

Astrology's Oldest Question

2008-08-11T00:20:00.003-04:00

3 minute Astrology

Open Question

What was on your mind when you had your first astrology reading?

Feel free to leave a comment.

Venus in Virgo. The ultimate nit-picker.

2008-08-09T23:28:00.002-04:00

Have you ever met one of those people who was really easy on the eyes, but really harsh on the soul? Venus in Virgo. The ultimate nit-picker.

Venus entered Virgo on August 6, 2008.

Having emerged fully from behind the light of the Sun, Venus is now visible in the evening sky. She has entered her “evening star” phase, which is the phase of her most beautiful appearance, however she has also entered Virgo, the place in the zodiac that she least enjoys.

In Virgo, Venus is surrounded by the details that hold the world and everything in it together. Wistful about the fruitfulness of her Taurean home, Venus is swamped by minutia in Virgo, the necessary tedium and relentless service that makes abundance possible. However the work itself completely lacks the fertile spark.

Across the Zodiac, in Pisces, Venus is exalted in the sign of abundant oblivion, where details are left to others and, feelings rule. However, in Virgo, Venus’ brilliance is not recognized, her radiant smile and glamorous visage are a distraction from the work at hand. The abundance that she must impart wherever she goes, inflates the minutia so that the beauty of an entire work of art is forever tainted by a single inconsistent detail. For this reason, Virgo is known as the sign of Venus’ fall.

When Venus is in Virgo, there is a tendency to obsess over aesthetic detail, and a tendency to be critical of those things that are most beloved.

Virgo is currently host to Saturn and Mars, the two bad boys of the chart. While Venus will lighten things up a little, expectations of sweetness and light from her Virgo sojourn are a little off beam. We can expect criticism to rise under this transit, and angry criticism at that, until Mars moves on to Libra on August 19. The ever-impressionable Mercury will enter Virgo (its own sign) August 10, but that just means the bickering will be more articulate. There is, however, some hope in sight.

The coming Lunar eclipse (August 16) will take the emotional subtext from Virgo and transfer it to Aquarius. One of the compounding factors making the Virgo transits so heated is that they capture the attention of the emotions due to the lunar eclipse. Once this trigger is removed, the Virgo energy loses some of its emotional sting, which is a really good thing!!.

Lots and lots of nit-picking.

A great season for copy-editors, proof readers, and art layout people, where a critical eye is a great asset. For the rest of us, there will be greater obsession about details of appearance than is healthy. The weight-loss and cosmetic industries are probably in for an increase in trade as people become more self-critical.

If you have Venus in Virgo in your chart, chances are you are critical of anything and anyone you love. You may have guessed by now that this is not conducive to a cozy relationship. There are a few things you can do to soften the critical edge. It takes work but it can be done. Drawing on the Capricorn in your chart, take control of your first impulses. Drawing on the Taurus in your chart, take delight in the sensual side of your relationship. By drawing on the Pisces energy across your chart, observe with the eyes of love, see your partner as your partner wishes to be seen. It won't stop the critical edge, but it will give your partner something else to see as well!!

The Venus in Virgo person needs to make peace with the natural tendency to criticize if he or she is going to have a close and healthy relationship. The owner of such a Venus might be able to mitigate this with some real effort, but the critical impulse will always be there. The most useful place to put such a Venus to work is in copy-editing or other detailed work where critical thinking is an asset.

If you are attached to a Venus in Virgo person, you need to understand that criticism is often coincident with love for your partner. There are lots of people who can live with that. If it bothers you, however, you need to seriously consider your options. It can be mitigated, it can be put to more positive use, but it isn’t going anywhere.

Take Care

Rod

Detroit Mayor Eclipsed?

2008-08-07T15:27:00.003-04:00

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was remanded in custody today after breaking his bond conditions.

I gave a brief discussion of the eclipse in relation to the election the other day. Many of the same principles apply in Detroit, the charts are very similar.

Kilpatrick has avoided dismissal from office, and jail, many times in the last few months. His affair with a colleague and allegations of corruption surfaced after the release of IM records on his PDA.

The February solar eclipse in Aquarius had Neptune closely conjunct a retrograde Mercury. Neptune clouds perspective and retrograde Mercury tends to disperse information, so that an Aquarian eclipse that would normally hold the leaders strongly accountable to group mind was unable to make the details stick. Libra rising with Venus at the IC in Capricorn made the people determined to find justice, but the confounding factors so close to the eclipse degree meant that the case against the leaders couldn’t stick.

It was a “get out of Jail free” card from a public scrutiny perspective.

This same issue has been playing out federally, where leaders have been avoiding accountability.

However, the August eclipse has no such confounding influence, and comes with a burden for leaders to act in the interests and welfare of the people. It also means that there is no escaping the desire and interests of the people, and most of Detroit wanted to see Kilpatrick in jail from the day that this scandal emerged.

It has happened surprisingly quickly for Kilpatrick

This bodes well for those who would like to see justice done on the federal level.

Which Eclipse Chart?

2008-08-07T10:59:00.002-04:00

I’ve made some references to eclipses at various times, and while the non-astrologer might accept that I know what I am doing (or that I am a crackpot), it occurs to me that those wishing to learn the art might benefit from working out what I am doing.

When deciding which eclipse chart to use for a reading, the astrologer first has to answer the question “What do I want to know?”. (This is actually a good question to ask before casting any chart or using any technique, but I am amazed at how many astrologers forget to ask it, and attempt to answer a question using a technique or chart that was never intended to answer their question… much like a doctor ordering a blood test when the most useful information would come from a urine analysis.)

If the interest is changing trends in the personal or popular climate, we read an eclipse chart like a “super new moon”, or “super full moon”. For this purpose, we use the exact conjunction or opposition. In other words, we align the Sun and the Moon so that they occupy exactly the same degree, minute, and second of the zodiac signs they are in, The reason for this is that personal and popular trends are identified on the zodiac, the symbolic circle representing the path of the Sun through the heavens (relatively speaking), on which all of the planets are brought together for analysis.

A Solar eclipse represents a change in those things that persuade reputation and prominence. In other words, in any eclipse period, there is a particular energy that holds more sway than usual as “the subtext that has influence”. In popular political terms, this will be the focus by which the people can influence government. In personal terms, it represents the influence that will affect our reputation. This has a spiritual correlation with the things we find persuasive in any period.

A Lunar eclipse represents a change in the subtext itself. If a particular approach has influence in government, then what factors influence that approach? It is the Lunar eclipse that media and government need to pay attention to if they want to understand the things that influence the masses. In personal terms, the Lunar eclipse represents the influence that will affect our emotions or security. This has a spiritual correlation with the way we experience intuition.

If the interest is natural disasters and toppling of governments and other specific events, then this narrows the astrological analysis to the part of the world from which the eclipse is physically visible. The reason behind this is that we are looking at material phenomena, and therefore we need information relating to the material eclipse. When we are dealing with a visible eclipse, we want the moment at which the eclipse is at its most intense, “the instant of greatest eclipse”. This varies from location to location, and NASA conveniently supplies these data for various cities from which the eclipse is theoretically visible. In the case of yesterdays K2 eclipse post, I used the time at Islamabad because it was closest to the K2 site.

Learning how to read these charts is another matter, but the above gives the broad brush-strokes about which chart I use for what purpose.

If they had an astrologer ...

2008-08-05T14:45:00.004-04:00

I read with some dismay that 11 people lost their lives in an ice avalanche near the summit of K2 in Pakistan.

When I read that the avalanche happened on Friday afternoon, I couldn’t help myself.

The ancients always used the time of greatest eclipse for their charts, whereas we tend to use the time of exact conjunction/opposition for an eclipse in modern astrology.

If anything prompts me to look more carefully at the ancient way of doing it, it is this chart.

Not only is modern bad-boy Pluto exactly on the degree of the ascendant for this eclipse on K2, the first degree of Capricorn is a hairs-breadth away from the ascendant.

As a modern astrologer, the Pluto on the ascendant of the eclipse chart for an expedition in the least hospitable climate in the world would be a dead-give-away to say “guys, lets look at another date.”

Were I an ancient astrologer without the advantage of Pluto, I’d still look at 0 Capricorn rising, Saturn’s position in Mercury’s home, and Mercury getting some uncharacteristic light and say “guys, lets look at another date.”

Were I a modern astrologer who is keen on the topo centric conjunction, the chart is virtually identical to this chart (a couple minutes earlier)… yep, you guessed it, .. “guys, lets look at another date”

There is not much one can say in hindsight on a tragedy like this except that astrology can be really, really useful sometimes.

Take Care

Rod

Readable Popular Astrology - Really!!

2008-08-04T22:29:00.005-04:00

I found a most digestible form of popular astrology the other day (which is remarkable in itself, because mostly, popular astrology gives me a rash).

Elsa puts her spin on some difficult issues using some well-refined astrological intuition. She does not see the need to pry into the lives of others, nor does she pretend to be teaching astrology, and I think that’s why I can read it and enjoy it.

It has a lot more of “this is what’s going on and this is how it feels” than anything else, and a quite a few “this is what’s going on and this is what it looks like in the news”.

Its easy to read, its cute, its great for folks trying to get a handle on astro-symbolism.

Its a true astro journal. Some posts are better than others, but its always worth a browse when you have a lazy minute or two.

Well done Elsa

2008-08-01 - Eclipse Astrology-US Election

2008-08-03T15:47:00.002-04:00

August 1 Solar Eclipse and the US elections

The extreme northerly track of this eclipse suggests that the only places it will be detrimental in are the extreme north of Canada, the arctic Circle, Remote parts of Russia, Mongolia, and Northern China. The eclipse is visible from Beijing and therefore the Chinese need to be more concerned than any other group of people. I will not attempt a prediction for China, but the eclipse occurring in the 8th house reduces the potential impact considerably.

The USA, however, has the degree (exact zodiac position) of the eclipse rising at the moment of the exact conjunction (not the moment of greatest eclipse... it’s a long story, but they are different things), which is pretty remarkable.

Solar eclipses largely effect governments and rulers, Lunar eclipses have a greater effect on the people. This is a Solar eclipse, and it is in the home of the Sun, Leo, and thus the eclipse is about incumbent leaders in their own milieu.

This means that, while there is little potential for physical mayhem and destruction in the eclipse from an American point of view (because there is no visible eclipse from the DC standpoint) the eclipse still has impact in the USA, and its impact is in the part of the chart that speaks to the welfare of the people.

A very brief summary of how this eclipse period works in the USA can be found in the components of the eclipse as they unfold.

The Sun is in Leo, its own sign. The degree of the eclipse is rising in DC, so the focus of the people is on the Government for this period. The eclipse itself has the Moon (mood of the people) passing in front of the Sun, in the sign of the incumbent government, which is also the ascending sign in the eclipse, and so it is the focus of the people in terms of their welfare.

The need of the people is great and the pressure is on the government to deliver. Had the government made any investment at all in the welfare of the people, this would be a time upon which it was called to share those resources, and help the people through some really tough times. I do not personally see how the current administration can do this.

Anybody who reads a news bulletin of any kind knows that the people are hurting in the USA. It is my personal belief that this government is unable to address the issues that the people are raising, and that the people will hold this against the government in the coming election.

The Government’s primary interest is in the war, and the cost of the war. It will be focusing on terrorism for the remainder of the Bush presidency. This is a bad tactic which will backfire, severely, at the polls in November. This obsession with terror and fear is well removed from the interests of the people, many of whom are far more fearful of the prospect of homelessness and joblessness.

The message that might come though from the government “believe that we can see better times together” needed to have sufficient investment of the administration in the welfare of the people over the last 7 years to have any cache now. In my opinion, that investment has been severely lacking for too many ordinary people.

In my “Trashy Novel Eclipse” post, I made it clear that there will be announcements coming from strange places at strange times during this eclipse period. I’ll be interested to see how that plays out, but I would not be at all surprised if the “dirty deeds” of the Bush administration are aired in the news media over the next few months. Now, how dirty those deeds actually are is a matter for the courts to decide, but the press will have a field day.

The premature and tainted appearance of Venus also suggests a loss of faith with in the leadership, but also a temptation to deception and exaggeration by the media. It cuts both ways, but it all comes back in the lap of the Bush administration, and I don’t think they have the political will or political muscle to fight it, nor have they made the investment in welfare to capture the imagination of the people in any positive way.

It all ads up to the people turning so strongly against the incumbent government that the democrats should win by a landslide.

Mr Obama would do well to study the rage and fury that will be leashed upon the administration over the next six months before his probable inauguration. It is this anger and frustration that will return to haunt the next president (regardless of who wins) if he fails to deliver.

August 1, 2008 - The "Trashy Novel" Eclipse

2008-07-31T13:36:00.009-04:00

An eclipse of the Sun is a moment in time when the Moon blocks the light of the Sun. In simple terms, the Ruler of Day is impeded for a moment by the Ruler of Night. The relentless forward march of the obvious things in life (indicated by the Sun) takes a back seat, for a moment, to the persuasive power of the subtle energies in life (signified by the Moon).

This eclipse occurs in the fixed tropical sign of Leo, the sign of loyalty, stability, and a bit of self-proclaimed nobility. For this eclipse period, the Moon usurps the authority of the Sun and so a period of "high drama" ensues. The already passionate sign of Leo is inundated with the very emotional energy of the Moon. Add to this mix the spirited communication from Mercury, piping up, in the wrong time and from the wrong place, with loyalty to Moon (Mercury is passing behind the Sun and cannot be seen because of the Sun's light. The eclipse makes him visible for a moment, and his position has him siding with the Moon, even though he is in the sign of the Sun), and you have a period of misrepresented loyalties, unbridled emotions and heated passions.

Yep, sounds like a soap opera to me, and it all dances around in Leo.

However,we're not finished yet. If this scenario isn't headache enough for whichever part of your life is dominated by Leo, there is one more kicker that makes this into a trashy novel plot.

Venus has spent a long time obscured by the beams of the Sun where she has been unable to shine. When she finally emerges from behind the light of the Sun, she will be in her glorious Evening Star mode, which is her most dazzling and beautiful persona and puts her loyalties with the Moon. She is not far from emerging, and as with Mercury, this eclipse will give her an opportunity to shine early.

There is one sticky problem with this otherwise beautiful apparition. Venus is currently opposed by Neptune, the planet of obscurity, deception and ‘kidding yourself when it goes badly’.

You guessed it; there is a love interest! All is not what it seems. There is malefic power at work behind the beautiful apparition and... well, I told you it was a trashy novel!

The two villains of our trashy novel (beautiful bad-boy Mars and simply sinister Saturn) are in the adjacent sign of Virgo, messing around in Mercury's business, (but Mercury doesn't know it yet because he's busy raising an untimely ruckus in Leo). While our villains do not play much of a role in our Leo melodrama, their presence in Mercury's pragmatic residence make Mercury a little more mean spirited and somewhat crankier than his usually ambivalent self.

The ever successful and ever optimistic Jupiter, is "up to his armpits in alligators" in Saturn's nocturnal home, being kept far too busy there trying to make something good out of his journey in Capricorn to be able to give any attention to our Leo eclipse at all.

Uranus is likewise too busy in Pisces to interfere with the eclipse. Neptune, as we said, is turning the beauty of Venus into a deceptive illusion from his position in Aquarius.

Pluto is taking in the melodrama from his vantage in Sagittarius and pushing the players to come to a useful and meaningful conclusion... or kill each other... he really doesn't care.

In personal terms, our trashy novel eclipse will play out in whatever part of you life that Leo represents. Our natal Sun represents the part of us that deals with image and impressions, and our trashy novel will play out in a way that reflects the relationship between our sun sign, and the sign of Leo. Our rising sign (which we need a birth time to determine) is the part of the zodiac which makes us self-aware. When we read our rising sign, we are looking at a very general impression of how the eclipse might play out in terms of how we actually see ourselves.

For everybody

Many issues that have been hidden will be broadcast under this eclipse; secret loves will come to light and cause misunderstanding. I am expecting to see a surge in expose type scandal that is actually more hype than substance. This is the stuff on which modern media thrive, I think the rest of us will be tired of it by the time the next solar eclipse turns up.

In terms of personal development, a solar eclipse is effective until the next solar eclipse, which in this case occurs January 26, 2009.

Moon in Leo will be the times to watch. Aug 27-30, Sept 24-26, Oct 21-23, Nov 17-19, Dec 15-17, Jan 11-13.

Folks with natal Sun or Moon or Ascendant in Leo are in for a particularly challenging eclipse period.

Sun in Aries

The eclipse will be mostly entertaining from your perspective. Avoid the temptation to stir the pot by feeding the rumor mill because it may have financial repercussions you hadn't thought of. Be aware that secrets involving fun and flirtation will be hard to keep. Expect a change in the way that children, innocence, fun, and play enhance your reputation and work to your favor.

Aries Rising

It will be hard to avoid drawing attention to your inner child under this eclipse. You may find that your normally playful nature is becomes somewhat insecure. Go with it, run with it, but keep the accent on innocence and play, rather than willfulness and immaturity. Be aware that new love will not be what it appears to be, and keep in mind that your own secrets will be very hard to keep.

Sun in Taurus

Your personal priorities and your professional priorities are going to be in conflict for a while. Your values are going to be in competition, because you can't do everything. Be careful to seriously consider all the repercussions of your choices, and then settle for the choice that is most mindful of your core values, and does least harm overall.

Taurus Rising

This eclipse is going to bring a clear conflict of interest between the things that matter to you most and your sense of security, whether that is your home and family or your personal interests. Maintaining your sense of security through the next six months may draw your attention away from your long term personal and career objectives.

It is this type of tension that helps us sort out our priorities. By listening to the demands of the things that make us secure, we shore-up our career and personal objectives. Using this period to get the balance right, to pay due attention to the things that really matter, is the key to making it work for you.

Sun in Gemini

Your reputation in your local community will change under this eclipse. This is a time when comfortable values will pay bigger dividends than lofty ideals. You may be surprised by unexpected (though fleeting) prominence. You may also be the subject of a local scandal of some sort.

Gemini Rising

Your role as "communications hub" will be enhanced by this eclipse, with some recognition for the role you play in the lives of others. Beware that juicy gossip will be ripe for the picking, but it will bring you undone if you indulge under this eclipse. This is one of those times where increased popularity brings with it increased responsibility. If the two go hand in hand, you will progress to better things. If you let your popularity go to your head by repeating juicy gossip in order to increase your notoriety, it will backfire in a spectacular manner.

Cancer Sun

There is a change afoot in the way that your talents are seen by others. You have a chance to be recognized for your ideas under this eclipse. Be aware that empty flattery will have an agenda attached.

This eclipse period will help you see the difference between genuine appreciation (which most Cancer's love) and empty flattery (which less scrupulous souls will use to get you to do what they want). Try not to be too disheartened when you see the difference.

Cancer Rising.

A change in your money situation is likely under this eclipse. Some good ideas that have been "hiding in plain sight" will come to light over the eclipse season. Be careful of "get rich quick" schemes, though, because some of those will present themselves as well.

Leo Sun

Leo has the dubious honor of hosting this eclipse. Leo, a sign renowned for loyalty and stability, will undergo a change during the eclipse period. If you are prepared for a change, and are willing to accept it, you will fare better than those who resist it. Your reputation and standing with others may also change, be mindful of this and try to make the best of it. Be aware that there will be no secrets this next six months, minute details will have a way of taking center stage, and scandal is waiting in the wings, looking for an opportunity to surface.

Leo Rising

Change is the one constant in life, and the wise will be ready to embrace it rather than resist it. This eclipse will bring a change in the way you see yourself and the way you present yourself. Expect some insight into an obscure problem. Expect some deception regarding values and valuables. All financial offers and incentives need to be put to the reality test..(which is good advice anyway, but very important for Leo rising folk during this eclipse period).

Virgo Sun

Eclipse events are going to seem mostly distant to the Virgo. You are likely to be mystified about all the hoopla and drama, particularly when you have far more practical things to be concerned with. Getting involved in the drama will do more harm than good for you.

Virgo Rising

The hard-won lessons of facing the "real you" are going to bear some spiritual fruit, particularly if you are spiritually inclined. For the more pragmatic, there are some changes afoot that will affect you indirectly through large corporate, financial, or medical institutions.

Libra Sun

This eclipse will effect your reputation Libra. The fallout of the high drama will make it difficult to know who to believe. Others may find it difficult to trust you. It is best to ride out the eclipse period with as little reliance on your reputation as possible.

Libra Rising

There will be high drama amongst friends and associates which will affect your ability to make and keep effective networking opportunities open. Be prepared for an emotional roller-coaster over this eclipse period. Try to avoid meddling with the crises as they emerge. Offer dispassionate advice where it is required of you.

Scorpio Sun

Like Libra, Scorpio needs to be careful of its reputation during this eclipse period, however the stakes are higher for Scorpio, because the fallout affects career, not just contacts and friends. Scorpios who throw themselves into their careers over the next 6 months may find it to be counter-productive. It is a wiser thing to let the eclipse pass, and repair the damage later, rather than to try to invest in your reputation under this eclipse.

Scorpio Rising

Scorpio rising is going to find the demands of work and career requiring far more attention than they usually do. You need to be aware that your words may be perceived as particularly troublesome. The need to balance your priorities will be paramount over this eclipse period. You need to give the career the attention it requires, without feeding the irrational nature of the eclipse. Its a tough call, but forewarned is the first step towards forearmed.

Sagittarius Sun

Your reputation (or lack of reputation) as the "goto" person for ideals and inspiration will take a bit of pounding over the eclipse period. Your opinion will nevertheless matter. Be careful, use it wisely. Be as dispassionate as possible.

Sagittarius Rising

Sagittarius rising is going to experience a change in the academic faculty. If things have been cloudy, they will clear up. If they have been clear, they will get foggy. Either way, the Moon's dominance of the intellectual house will your mind a very emotional place to be, much of your thinking will be tied up in the "trashy novel" indicated in my opening remarks.

Capricorn Sun

Capricorn may find itself in the unfortunate position of being vilified in a situation that is completely beyond its control. A difficult period in which a "nothing to lose" approach will serve you better than panic or attempts at self-justification. Press forward with the things that really matter, Capricorn, and ride the storm.

Capricorn Rising

Other people's business will grab undue attention for Capricorn Rising over this period. There will be dramas and dilemmas affecting the way you deal with the resources of others. If you are in a sexual relationship, you can expect an uncharacteristically emotional time of it, if you are settling estates or dependent on the resources of others you can expect a more difficult time than usual for this eclipse period.

Aquarius Sun

You may find yourself in the position of "scapegoat" when high dramas and bad soap operas play out in the lives of others. With Chiron and Neptune resident in your sign, attempts at clarifying the situation in the heat of the moment will be misunderstood. All is not lost, however, there is healing for you and for the other party once the emotional heat has passed.

Aquarius Rising

Aquarius rising will feel the heat from partners and others involved in committed business relationships. The situation is made more complex by a subtle, ongoing difficulty Aquarius Rising folk have had with personal confidence. Your ability to see yourself reflected in your partner (business or personal) will allow for the level of compassion you need to make something good out of an otherwise difficult 6 months. It will take some work, but it will be well worth the effort.

Pisces Sun

Pisces will need to pay particular attention to physical appearance to avoid unwarranted criticism from others. Much like Capricorn, there's not much you can say or do, except keep your own mind on doing the best you can with what you have and let the darts of others fall where they will.

Pisces Rising

You are likely to observe the melodrama of the eclipse play out in your work-place. Keeping your nose out of the drama will be the best you can manage. you may also find yourself with mystery aches and pains that have no apparent cause and no apparent cure. Get good medical advice, it may all blow over, it may not, but the situation will be much clearer in January.

Obviously, a list like this can only cover tendencies in the broadest brush-strokes possible. The effects of the Leo eclipse on your life will be determined by many factors, the most important of those being what planets you have in Leo and what is happening with those planets in the heavens. Your age and other factors are used by any professional astrologer to asses the actual effects of the movements of the planets in your life.

For more information on astrology and how it works in your life, visit my website.

If you have a specific question relating to any aspect of Astrology, post a comment, and I'll address it.

A birth-chart can be erected for free from astro.com.

Why Astrology?

2008-07-22T23:14:00.002-04:00

Why do I do this? Why don’t I do something else?

I was erecting an imaginary conversation in my mind’s eye with a person who is reading astrology, and in my opinion, really shouldn’t be. I think the person lacks the depth of understanding requisite to be a practicing astrologer, however there is no regulation in the field, and any buyer of astrological services has to be aware that some astrologers are not up to the task.

Anyway, in the course of my ethereal “conversation” I sat this person down and asked, sincerely, why do you do astrology?

Of course, when we ask a question like that of another soul, we have to be prepared to answer it for ourselves. This prompted some navel gazing, and now I’ll inflict it on you all.

The short answer to the question “why do you (Rod Smith) practice astrology?” is “I can’t be anything but an astrologer.” I mean, sure I can work at any number of different jobs, and I may have to do one of those for a while as I regroup and work at building a larger clientèle, however, everything I am as a human being is tied directly, or indirectly, to my astrology.

From the moment I laid eyes on astrology as an integrated mathematical system, I could not put it down.

I had seen the sun-sign columns and dismissed them as a crutch for the feeble-minded.

The astrology I was introduced to when I asked my bother Carl, “so, how do I construct a chart, and what are these squiggles all about?” had nothing to do with feeble minds. The mathematics and physics were not particularly difficult, but they are daunting if you are not a math person. The symbolism of the planets is also daunting if you are not a metaphysical person. Thankfully, I am both.

I had been observing human behavior and asking big questions for a long time before I ever erected an astrology chart, but once I erected that chart, I understood humanity in a way that I have never understood before. Its as though a thousand of my most pressing questions were answered in that one chart. The next chart I erected answered a thousand more.

When I could lay the planets on a chart, and see their interactions working in the lives of those around me, I was gone, hook-line-and-sinker.

It took about two years of obsessive work with charts and harmonics and numbers and potentials to really grok astrology as a system for understanding people. It worked for me in a way that nothing I had ever looked at before could work, and more importantly, it worked in the minds and lives of the people in my world. I could help them make a real difference in their own lives, and so I did.

So, the answer, -why am I an astrologer?.

Because I live to make a difference, and astrology is the best tool I have to accomplish that end.

Take Care

Rod

Certified? (maybe I should be...)

2008-07-22T17:25:00.003-04:00

UPDATE: I finally received word that I passed the Level 1 exam, with a score of 94 percent, I'm not sure which questions I missed, but I am pretty happy with the score - My apologies for the silence, but one of Life's little dramas has had this Cancer boy sleeping across town - our marriage is fine but a friend needs an adolescent-sitter, and a Cancer out of his home tends to be rattled.

Anyone who knows astrology recognizes that I know my stuff. There is no question about that… and of course, a person who knows no astrology has no idea whether I know what I am talking about or not. It may come as a surprise to some that I have never taken formal training in astrology.

My brother, Carl Smith, taught me the basics of astrology in the mid 1990’s, and taught me the harmonic system he had developed over a period of 25 years using his own criteria for what works and what does not.

I had always taken a profound interest in what makes people tick, and so his astrology meshed with my human understanding quite well.

It was Carl’s philosophy that, if he taught me the very basics, my own interest would drive the understanding home and chart the course of my astrological education. He insisted that I work by hand until I had become familiar enough with the process to find and correct my own mistakes.

The first 20 charts I erected began with a set of tables, a calculator, a compass, a ruler and a few coloured pens. With practice, I could erect one in an hour or so, and then check it for errors a couple of hours later, before I plotted it on blank paper to erect the chart.

When I began using harmonics, (shortly after I started studying astrology) I created a method for calculating potential aspects by hand that took 15 hours per chart…. I think I got it down to 10 or so… I was looking at every potential aspect for every chart object that could exist for every multiple of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, using a proportionally decreasing orb (for the non-astrologer… lots of math and a complex procedure)

Because my handwork with arithmetic is prone to random, seemingly careless errors (though I can swear that what I do looks right when I do it) every process required an arithmetic check, which I also devised.

I was very quick to borrow a computer from another brother (an old Mac Classic) so that my hand-cast charts could have the harmonics crunched on a spreadsheet (which I designed myself) in a fraction of a second longer than it took to input the data.

I eventually began using free astrology software, and was able to cast charts in no time at all.

It turns out that the astrology I thought of as entry-level is a considered high-end specialty in the greater astrological community.

I have spent a lot of the intervening years working out what “mainstream” astrology looks like, and have sought to educate myself on the relative usefulness of the many layers of astrological interpretation that are available out there.

My specialty always was the astrology of personal development. My most recent interest has been in ancient astrology. A study I find to be fascinating because it is so different from what I already knew, and yet it has, at its foundation, the same fundamental mathematical consistency that is the trademark my modern work.

So, to the point of this post.

I sat my first ever astrology exam last Saturday, on my 49th birthday. The most important part of the exam involved the manual construction of several charts.

I had erected about twenty charts by hand in the lead-up to the exam, so that I could again become completely comfortable with the procedure involved and become aware of the types of errors I am prone to make. Finding the errors I made in the practice charts, and resolving them, made it possible to spot the errors I made in the exam and fix them.

Erecting a chart by hand ensures that the student has a working knowledge of the principles that go into chart construction. The student is introduced to time as measured by the clock, and also time as measured by the rotation of the earth. These concepts in time are essential to the accurate construction of a chart. The student is also introduced to how the shape of the earth (more specifically, one’s position on that shape) affects the shape of a chart, and how Southern Hemisphere differs from the North.

In doing the work and understanding the concepts behind the work, the student is more able to conceive the chart as a function of real space and real time. Reinforced with every chart constructed by hand, its the necessity to do accurate work, which is a great mindset with which to approach a reading: because when it comes down to it, there is a lot at stake when an astrologer is are actually reading a chart for a real person. Taking it seriously is always a good thing for a reader.

The rest of the questions were the sort of stuff that one would expect from an entry-level exam. Nothing terribly challenging though you do have to be on the ball.

All up, by my own assessment, the test was a fairly good indicator of whether a person has a basic knowledge of astrology. NCGR have done a great job in that regard and should be commended for it.

The most difficult part for me was trying to "turn on" to a chart that I  have not placed any investment in at all, and for which there is no personal consequence, and nothing at stake beyond a multiple choice answer, proposed by someone I don’t know.

That’s difficult.

I am fairly sure I passed the exam. A friend of mine likened this turn of events to Evel Knievel taking a driving test. While I enjoy the flattery, I feel I had to work a lot harder than that to make sure I got it right… there again, I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t invest a lot in making sure I get it right when there is actually something at stake.

Take care

Rod

Wrong!!

2008-03-06T10:59:00.001-05:00

Well I got that wrong.

One of the fun parts about basing a prediction on a single indicator is that the result is binary, it either works or it does not.

I couldn’t have been more wrong about the way the transit of Venus through Capricorn and Aquarius was going to play out.

The change candidates both took enormous leads, and the establishment candidates have really struggled, which is precisely opposite to what I said would happen!!.

So, the Ascendant ruler (venus) is not the defining factor in primary election results.

What I did notice, is that both McCain and Obama had to emphasize their experience over that period, with McCain billing himself as the “experience” candidate, and Obama mostly answering the charge of inexperience, though the latest result in Ohio and Texas might mark a turning point in his effectiveness on that issue.

I can see how Venus visiting Saturn’s homes (Capricorn and Aquarius) was important in the campaigns, but rather than determine the nature of the vote (which is what I expected it to do) it determined the nature of the debate. If I expected the candidates who represented the establishment positions to do best on their “natural positions” in the debate, I now know better.

That being the case, as Venus enters Pisces, ideology should dominate the debate until March 20.

We live and learn

Take Care

Rod

Presidential Election 2008

2008-01-09T00:56:00.001-05:00

Election 2008

UPDATE: While much of this prediction was filled with the wishful thinking that accompanies many astro forecasts, I have left it up because I need to remember what it is that I got wrong. There are more recent posts on eclipses, for which I hold more hope, and I'llleave some of the ancient stuff until I have learned more about using it.

The Capricorn ingress, regardless of where you live in the world, had the Sun tightly conjunct Jupiter (the voice for change) and Mercury (attention to details), both of which had just entered Capricorn.

For the USA, the Capricorn ingress determines America's fortunes for the first quarter of the year.

In my (very experimental) brand of mundane astrology, the Sun represents the “image” and often the perceptions of a nation.

The Sun overpowers both Jupiter and Mercury in this quarter, and draws energy, attention, and influence from them.

Jupiter in Capricorn is trapped in Saturn’s (conservative reality) coldest and darkest domicile. Jupiter is unable to affect real change, unable to do very much, however transits of favorable planets through Jupiter’s domiciles (Sagittarius and Pisces) are going to give it a little shine and a bit of influence in what is otherwise a challenging quarter (and year for that matter) for those wanting to challenge the status quo.

Mercury in Capricorn is not as hamstrung as Jupiter, and is well accustomed to handing its influence over to the Sun. Mercury is deeply influenced by Saturn

So why are Obama, (the democratic voice for change,) Huckabee, (the bible-belt’s voice for change), and McCain, (the republican wild-card) having strong early showings if Jupiter is so badly placed?

The answer is probably found in Venus (queen of values and valuables) in transit over the quarter. Venus adds a bit of shine to whatever she touches in transit.

In the Capricorn ingress chart, Venus is in Scorpio, which is by no means her favorite place to be. However, in Warrior goddess (rising before the Sun) mode with her ruler in really bad condition (Mars retrograde in Cancer), she’s having a better time in Scorpio than usual.

Venus, emboldened with a sense of power and urgency, enters Sagittarius, the diurnal domicile of embattled Jupiter, and so she invigorates Jupiter for a brief season. Now remember that Jupiter is handing its influence over to the Sun, the perceptions and image of the nation, for the duration.

The long and short of it?

The “voice of change” will have two surges of popularity this quarter, the one we are experiencing now, which ends around January 24, and another around March 12 through March 20. The intervening period will see “establishment” candidates surging forwards.

This suggests that Clinton is likely to win Super Tuesday, and probably the Democratic nomination.

The GOP is harder to pick, but I think Giuliani will have a stronger showing than expected.

From the March 20 equinox to the September 22 equinox, the perceptions of the nation will be split. The administration will manage to avert a recession, however this delay in the inevitable will make things much tougher in 2009. The administration will “look good” overall.

In the meantime, the momentum for change will take on a life of its own, strong in the minds of the people and in the media, however no longer influecing the reputation and perceptions of the country.

It is interesting to note that Pluto returns to Capricorn for the first time since the inception of the US, meaning the entire world, and the US in particular, is in the process of redefining the word “establishment”. By September, Pluto will be back in Sagittarius. We will get a glimpse, however, of what these two can accomplish when they share Saturn’s nocturnal domicile.

I’m expecting some instability over the summer as the people become increasingly frustrated over their own power being eclipsed by the overwhelming influence of America’s political and religious institutions.

With the Fall Equinox on September 22, the final crunch for the presidential election is due. The GOP will pull out all stops, the debate will turn vicious and it will be about illegal immigration and social justice. The rhetoric will get really twisted and weird, it will pitch American against American, but the election will go, convincingly, to the Democrats.

So there you have it. From what I can see at the moment, Hillary Clinton will be the next president of the United States. I don't particularly endorse her candidacy, but I think she'll take it regardless of what I think.

Take Care

Rod

The political year ahead, Ypsilanti

2008-01-01T11:39:00.000-05:00

For the first quarter of the year, Ypsi’s fortunes are determined by the Yule ingress chart of 2007 (December 22, 2007, 1:08:14 am).

Unfortunately, this ingress chart is a real mess as far as getting anything productive done is concerned. While the Moon’s dominance of the MC should bode well for the Mayor and City Council, its 8th house position and its complete lack of dignity or direction bode very ill. With Mars in Cancer, retrograde and close to the MC, the dominant issue is “a battle lost”. While I’d like to say “get over it guys”, they stopped listening to me a long time ago, when I came out against their ill-fated tax.

With any luck, the Mayor will get accustomed the new reality as the quarter progresses, and we can look forward to better things from him later in the year.

The people are dominated by Venus who is in turn dominated by Mars. With a focus on resources and how to make the best use of them, the people appear to be getting on with the job, while the Mayor and City Council are “crying in their beer”.

Grass roots groups also appear somewhat scrambled and disorganized, we should expect to hear more from those organizations (and perhaps any organization that might evolve from the SCIT campaign) later in the year rather than this first quarter.

The income tax campaign served to galvanize a bunch of strange bedfellows into the opposition campaign; it will be interesting to see what comes of it.

In March, the ingress of the Sun into Aries (March 20, 2008, 12:48:49 am) marks the beginning of the astrological year. This particular Aries ingress chart is effective in Ypsilanti from March 20 until September 22, when the Libra ingress chart will become effective for the remainder of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009.

There is a nasty event of some kind brewing for City Council early in May. This is likely to shake the council at its foundation, and the community is likely to hear about it a week or so later.

The City Council is looking much stronger during the Spring and Summer. It looks like they might actually “get a clue” and start listening to the grass roots. There is likely to be a large conference of some kind in mid-late June, the sort of thing that will bring the City and the grass-roots to the same table to really hash-out the issues. The devil will remain in the details, there will be no perfect solutions from this to-and-fro, but it represents a step in the right direction. The people need to be ever vigilant to make certain that their interests are well represented. There is a possibility that City officials may try to paint a more severe position than is actually warranted.

Jupiter in Capricorn in the 2nd house rules the ascendant (the people) from the sign of its fall. As we have already discovered in Ypsi, this year is a time for coming to terms with the excesses of the past and making sober, responsible plans for the future.

The people are going to feel somewhat awash over the Spring-Summer season, not yet secure in “the way ahead”, yet feeling the need to get something concrete going that will set the city’s financial path on a more secure footing. Resisting the desire for a “quick-fix” will be difficult.

Grass roots groups need to solidify their positions over the Spring and Summer, as it will be up to them to supply balance and call for sobriety from the Council in the fall.

With the arrival of Fall comes the chart (September 22, 2008, 10:44:46 am) that will carry the city through the end of 2008 to the Spring of 2009.

By this time, the Mayor and City council are likely to be on the path towards a new plan. This plan will be supported by the people, however it is entirely unrealistic in its execution.

It will be the job of grass roots groups, again, to bring reality back to city hall. This should not be difficult to do, but it needs to be done. Wishful thinking has created our current mess, and wishful thinking will bring the city further undone if it is left unchecked.

The chart makes a strong reality check necessary, and it also makes it possible. The good folks of Ypsi know deep down that the way ahead requires a strong dose of realism. This does not mean that they are going to like it when it is dished out. It may be that those calling for realistic solutions will feel like they are bashing their head against the wall, however they will prevail. There is a great deal of strength to their position, though they will be unpopular at first with both the general public and the council.

The November elections will serve to put the burden for the city’s future squarely in the lap of the people.

To sum up, the year ahead will be strongest for all concerned in the spring and summer. The habit of unrealistic idealism in City Council is hard to break, but the increasing strength of grass roots organizations towards the end of the year will have greater effect.

I hope everyone enjoys a happy and prosperous 2008.

Take Care

Rod

When "not doing" is more important than "doing"

2007-11-19T01:54:00.001-05:00

Retrograde Mars
November 15, 2007 (12 degrees 27 min Cancer) – January 30, 2008 (24 degrees 5 min Gemini)

UPDATE: For the record, the Mars retrograde period was the period in which the US government enlisted the support of the Sinnis, and there was relative peace in Iraq

For anybody with birthdays in the retrograde Mars period, (late Scorpio, all of Sagittarius and early Capricorn) this coming year should offer opportunities to be rid of self-defeating patterns. There will be less luck for these good folk as far as getting things off the ground is concerned. The caveat for this period will be the times that the Moon is in Scorpio or Aries, which gives these uncomfortable bed-partners (Moon and Mars) a chance to actually work through their differences rather than pushing forward in spite of each other.

Cancer is the sign of Mars’ fall. It is as though Mars is visiting a country in which it is considered an open enemy. Its every move is watched, it is unable to move about freely, it is not quite in prison, but it might as well be.

Mars in Cancer is somewhat hamstrung. When it is retrograde as well … lets just say its just no fun for Mars at all. What it does mean, however, is that those folks who wish to broker a truce, or perhaps even put an end to a war, will have an easier time of it now than at any other time. Unfortunately, I don’t think our national leaders want this, and I doubt they’d listen to me, even if they did read my blog. It means our local leaders could, if they wanted, bury the hatchet after a long and dirty campaign over the City Income Tax. Personally, I think the Ypsilanti citizens enjoy the conflict too much to let that happen, and city leaders aren't inclined to listen to me either, though some of them occasionally read this blog.

On a more personal note, those folks trying to dispense with self-defeating patterns will do better under the current Mars retro transit. We should break out or New Year’s resolutions early, because January and February will see Mars in Gemini before it returns to Cancer in March, and the chances of holding our resolutions firm in January, after Mars has been doubly frustrated in Cancer, are pretty slim.

Mars’ retro stretch in Gemini is likely to mean more dialogue than action, however it will be easier to get things done while Mars is in Gemini than when it is in Cancer. Mars has no “dignity” in Gemini, but it has no “debility” either. It can do basically what it needs to, while being mindful that it is in Mercury’s turf. Mindfulness is never high on Mars’ list of priorities, however in signs in which it is without dignity, it tries to mind its manners.

Expect things to get easier from January 30 to March 4, then Mars goes back to being somewhat frustrated in Cancer until May 9, 2008, when it enters Leo.

Mars is retrograde in Cancer from November 12 through December 31, when it enters Gemini. It stations in Gemini on January 12 and begins moving forward, and re-enters Cancer on March 4.

For the larger retrograde cycle (including the shadow), Mars entered its “shadow” on September 16 (as the Sun applies to Mars in a Square aspect), it entered Cancer on September 28, it stationed to retrograde on November 15, it enters Gemini in retrograde motion on December 31, it turns direct in motion in Gemini on January 30, 2008, it enters Cancer in direct motion on March 4, 2008, and exits its “shadow” on April 5, 2008, (as the Sun separates from Mars in a Square aspect.)

All up, the retro Mars period will be marked by those things that are not done, rather than by those things that are done. The wise will use this to their advantage.

Take Care

Rod

Well, I got one right!!

2007-11-08T00:51:00.000-05:00

A resounding defeat for the income tax – the prediction.

Just for the record, the NO vote received more than 2 votes for every YES vote.

Regular readers will know I have been extremely busy for a month or more. I had not taken a close look at the ingress chart, nor had I looked at the election until Sunday night.

Thankfully, this election is probably the easiest prediction I have ever attempted.

I used an ancient but easy technique that was used for a thousand years or so to determine events within a specified timeframe.

The MC of the ingress chart represents the existing government (always), and in this case it was ruled by Mercury.

In real time, Mercury did a retro transit, and was back to the very same degree and minute, on the day of the election, as it had occupied in the moment of ingress. This presented a curious factoid that left me feeling that there was no progress at all coming about from the Mayor’s camp. That it directs (by the ancient method, this is not a commonly used direction of any kind) to the 8th house (house of death among other things, certainly not a fun place to be) of the ingress chart made it pretty clear the Mayor was likely to suffer a defeat.

In the September ingress chart Jupiter is extremely strong in the sign opposite the MC, and on the business side of the IC. This represents the opposition to the Mayor, [SCIT in this case] in a strong and favorable position, nestled in the house representing the heart and soul of the community.

The strongest planet in the chart, by leaps and bounds, is Jupiter.

Moreover, the MC is in the house of Jupiter’s detriment, and Jupiter is in the house of Mercury’s detriment (remember Mercury is the ruler of the MC). This sets the stage for a binary battle, one winner, one loser, nobody negotiating with anybody, and no half measures.

Now, when we direct Jupiter (using the same ancient obscure method) it lands firmly, exactly, on the MC during the eve of the election. The MC is the most powerful political point in any chart.

There was no doubt in my mind after looking at all of the above that SCIT would achieve a solid NO vote. The Mayor (representing the yes vote) would suffer a defeat.

I have not researched the direction method I’m using well enough to publish it. I’d hate to lead people up the garden path with mis-information (gods know there’s plenty of that in Astrology already).

The most difficult part of this method is working out which planet represents which party for the period of time in question.

I think the most telling part of this analysis is that the SCIT folks have turned a corner, and that this victory ushers in a new era in Ypsilanti politics. This election marked a huge and possibly deadly blow for the group of citizens who have steered Ypsilanti politics since the early 90’s.

Take Care

Rod

Income tax to be defeated

2007-11-05T12:36:00.000-05:00

Income tax to be defeated

crossposted on Out-Of-The-Woodwork

I have a strong astro-hunch that the city income tax will be soundly defeated tomorrow. Mundane (political outcomes prediction) is not my specialty, though I am researching that field.

My educated hunch, then, is that the tax will be defeated. I think many members of the Mayor’s support base will come out to vote, but will vote no.

[update: The income tax was soundly defeated by 1144 votes, 2240 NO to 1096 YES]

I’m not pretending to be impartial on this issue, I have been firmly against it for years.

Ypsilanti faces tough challenges in the housing and business markets, without facing the extra burden of an income tax. It’s a bad idea, there will never be a good time for it in this community.

The cuts that have to be made (with or without the tax) can be made without cutting police and fire services.

The tax is being proposed by the folks who masterminded the Water Street debacle, a sorry blight on Ypsilanti’s landscape that will cost taxpayers 32 million dollars, and is currently home to many derelict buildings, several flocks of geese, and squirrels, groundhogs, and water rats of unknown number.

These are the same people campaigning for Ypsilanti’s future.

These people are well intended, but severely challenged in the delivery department. If Water Street is anything to go by, then Downtown Detroit, Flint, and Hamtramck are going to look prosperous and inviting compared to Ypsilanti’s future under these clowns.

Take Care

Rod

Mercury retro-what?

2007-11-01T13:47:00.000-04:00

I’m Back!!

Ye gods, what a time to go off-line for a bit! . I’ve changed phone companies and had to change my phone number, but at least now I can hold a two-way conversation on the telephone at all times (I know, you’d think that would be standard… but when the provider couldn’t fix the problem after 3 months, it was time to move on).

I noted with some amusement that a recent astrological newsletter has mercury retrograde for 7 more days than it actually is and has Mars going retro early and finishing early. Maybe the author should double-check his facts under retrograde Mercury? Everybody else has to, and being an astrologer makes one more susceptible, (not less susceptible), to astrological snafus.

Correct dates for the coming retrograde transits according to Michelsen’s Ephemeris are

Mercury Direct - November 1, 2007 – (23 degrees Libra)
Mars Retrograde - November 15, 2007 - January 30, 2008
Uranus Direct – November 24, 2007
Saturn Retrograde – December 19, 2007 – May 2, 2008
Mercury Retrograde – January 28, 2008 – February 19, 2008

Busy doesn’t begin to cover the last month and a half for me, and the madcap mayhem that found its way into the lives of my friends under this transit… well yeah, I really should have warned you all about this, but there is only so much I can do in a day.

As usual, writing occupies most of my time in Mercury retro, I find the focus invigorating, but it takes it toll on the rest of my life. Did I mention that I can be a wee bit obsessive?

My first astrology course was successful. I’m not sure who learned more, my students or I, but we all seemed to come away a little wiser for the effort. I had taught the course for a solitary student first (to write the basic material), then for a small class in my home (refined the basic material for the class just completed) and with a little further refinement, it’ll be ready for the general public. I’ll be looking to run the course in the local community colleges, and perhaps even online, in the near future.

I’m also putting together a “celestial mechanics” paper that I will make freely available online. Celestial mechanics is fundamental to good astrology, and is probably the least understood component of astrological theory. It involves some basic science, all of which makes a lot of simple good sense, but requires a lot of explaining. More importantly, the meanings of many points in the Astrological chart can be traced directly to their roots in celestial mechanics.
So, yes I have been busy, but now its back to business as usual with Mercury going direct, today, in Libra.

[update: I heard back from the astrologer who's dates I corrected

Hey Rodney,
I picked those date for the beginning of Mars retrograde and ending of Mercury because I read Erin Sullivans book on retrograde planets and the retrograde effect begins when the planet starts slowing down and ends when it starts moving forward at its normal speed. Sandra Leigh Serio confirmed that we felt the effects of Mercury retrograde when it started slowing down before it went retrograde.

to which I say, when you are dealing with the general public, you cannot afford to play fast and loose with astro-terminology, lest you make yourself, and by extension astrology, look foolish with apparently contradictory information.

The point of greatest elongation (to which your sources apparently refer) is a different thing to the beginning retrograde in [apparent] motion, and Mars will not resume "normal speed"(whatever that actually could mean) until well into February.

For what its worth, Mercury, Venus and Mars do not have "normal" speeds, they are either accelerating or decelerating because we play a type of "orbital tag" with them around the Sun... they may have average speeds, but that is another discussion entirely. Mercury and Venus are either applying to or separating from their respective conjunctions with the Sun, the point at which applying becomes separating (or vice verse) is their point of maximum ecliptic elongation. Mars is another kettle of fish entirely... best I get that celestial mechanics paper done...

Were I to use such points (which I am incidentally researching) then I'd be choosing the moments at which Mercury and Venus match apparent speed with the Sun]

Take Care

Rod

Sorry about the silence

2007-10-17T16:11:00.000-04:00

Hi folks,

I have been up to my ears in other adventures, my available time has been spent writing lessons (written completely from scratch) for my first ever round of students.

It has been a rewarding challenge, but with the many other priorities in my life, I’m not getting the predictive blogs done at all, and when they return, they will probably look a little different.

My apologies to my readers, I’ll re-start this as soon as my many priorities allow me to give it the time it requires.

Take Care

Rod

Disruptive Eclipse

2007-09-14T10:29:00.000-04:00

Solar Eclipse (anular) September 11, 2007, 8:44:08 am EDT Ypsilanti, MI USA

The current eclipse occurs in Virgo and replaces the previous solar eclipse in Pisces.

At a very basic level, the subtext of the sun changes from “being served” to “service”.

The western half of the US is going to feel the effects of this eclipse much more solidly than the eastern half. For the Eastern US, there will be a call to spiritual values of service, with some disruption to services, for the west there will be a much more present call to the same values and some disruption to families. I expect there will be some trouble in the west that brings the nation together. Venus in 11 as warrior goddess on the east coast causes me some angst. I don’t think the war is going to end any time soon and I am concerned that something may happen to escalate the desire for it to continue.

The inspiration exists in this chart to do something “new and different”. It will be interesting to see which unconventional ideas turn unto something more concrete.

The eclipse itself will not have a huge impact on this area (Washtenaw County), being that it is in the 12th house and “outside the radar” of most of us.

The 12th house position does, however confirm the “spiritual” sense of this season, and for those of us with a strong metaphysical bent, there should be a noticeable shift in emphasis from the ethers.

Uranus opposing the eclipse means that there will be some disruption to services here (Washtenaw County), but I’m not expecting anything major.

As a new moon chart, the eclipse has Venus in a much stronger position, now in direct motion and rising as “Morning Star”. The people are going to feel its time for action, and the elected officials are going to feel the need to rise to the occasion.

Action over this period will be idealistically based, and community values are going to deeply influence those ideals.

Libra rising gives Venus a stronger-than-usual hand in this eclipse, it represents a great time for bringing people together behind a common cause.

Mercury's first house position means there'll be lots of talk during this eclipse, and Mars in Gemini suggests the talk will be hot headed and angry.

On a national level, the debate about the war will get hotter as one travels west across the country. The East Coast, the debate is ethereal, in the Mid West it becomes a real debate with much greater steam involving major universities and major protests, the Arid west it gets hotter again, however by the time it gets to the West Coast it becomes idealized, and very present.

My sense is that some Texas hot-heads are going to have a lot more sway in this debate than is warranted.

Mexico is in for a much harder time than it has had already.

Sorry about the gloom, I'd have hoped that reason would prevail in a Virgo eclipse, however, not in this one.

Take Care

Rod

Well, that was fun!

2007-09-12T15:28:00.000-04:00

I had the privilege to hear Robert Hand speaking last weekend (September 8th and 9th) and I have to say that he exceeded my expectations for lucidity of thought and approachability of presentation. I always expected Mr Hand to be bright, but brilliance doesn’t always translate to either clear or engaging presentation of the material.

It was reading Robert Hand that gave me a sense that there might actually be something to this “astrology thing” back in the early 90’s when I was still very skeptical that astrology was anything more than light entertainment for the crackpot fringe of society, and a belief system for the feeble of mind. I have since read several of his books and highly recommend them to my students.

Saturday night’s discussion was “Fate and Freewill” and to be perfectly honest, I went along expecting to hear a heap of dry-as-dust arguments with which I am already well acquainted; rehashed and regurgitated to come a middle-of-the-road conclusion (can you tell I spent way too long on e-mail lists a few years ago?).

For those folks (if any) who went to the lecture anticipating simple answers to a seemingly simple question, I guess they may have been under-whelmed.

Personally, I’m very tired of simple answers to complex questions, and it was a pleasure to follow a lucid train of thought through a complex issue and come away with the tools for investigating this, and several other complex issues, further.

The summary of his presentation comes down to “You will be who you are [fate] , the question is, how well [freewill] ?”

This is (or should be) the mantra of the humanist astrologer, but it was deeply satisfying to hear an extensive rendition of where this notion came from, and how far back in history it has been held by lovers of wisdom.

On the question of the "desire to believe", a fundamental part of the fate/freewill debate, Hand first pointed out that belief is simply opinion which is held in the absence of [quantifiable] experience. I'm not sure I'd ever thought of it that way.

Sundays workshop discussed the transition from Hellenistic to Medieval astrology. Both forms of astrology have been part of my own research (and finding their way into my work) for the last few years, so I was looking forward to this discussion from a person at the forefront of the translation and interpretation of the ancient works.

The beauty of the current era is that we, today, have more information available to us with which to put ancient astrology together than has been the case for 1000 years in Western Europe.

Again, Hand’s own work in the translation of text and the deciphering of meaning presented plenty of food for thought and answered many of my own questions about which way to implement some of these techniques.

I realize that questions of domicile and rulership, of terms and dignities and triplicities, are not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but again following a lucid train of thought through the process of discerning meaning and application from these was both interesting and exciting to me.

I have found that ancient astrology meshes beautifully with post-modern humanism, but it does take considerable work to differentiate the technique from the philosophy.

I am very fond of saying that astrology is always a combination of the physics and metaphysics of its time. Physics doesn’t change much, however our understanding of it is always expanding and therefore changing. Metaphysics, on the other hand, changes almost momentarily, yet is born of archetypal themes that transcend the moments in time in which they were expressed, and perhaps even time itself.

In allowing for both of these complexities, one can gain a great deal of insight from what astrologers once thought, (or more particularly, how they thought) and can discern the techniques that stood the test of time for 1000 years across many political and religious bounds.

I have been working with the above premises for several years now, and was beginning to feel a bit isolated in my viewpoint (because my best resources to date have been “astro-fundamentalists” of one form or another… yep astrology has fundies too, folks).

It was therefore with some relief that, among the concluding statements in an extremely enlightening workshop, Hand came out with this little gem, “I have no problem with being a[n] humanistic astrologer who is applying ancient techniques.” … neither do I Mr. Hand, and the reinforcement is encouraging.

I have always believed that the written word contains only the parts of a person’s thinking that the person is (or was) prepared to defend. We lose so much insight when we “hang on every [written] word” of an esteemed authority, and fail to see what it was that said authority was actually thinking.

I am reminded of a statement I heard during the workshop about fundamentalists believing in the absolute truth of selected portions of bad translations.

Do I agree with all of the conclusions Robert Hand drew? Of course not! However, it was a real treat to “fill in the gaps” on how he arrived at them.

Many thanks to the the Learning Center for Astrological Studies in Lansing, and particularly to Mr. Win Rowe, for making this event possible in our area.

Now… back to our regular program…

Take Care

Rod

Reality comes a-calling on Virgo

2007-09-02T01:11:00.000-04:00

Saturn Enters Virgo, 9:51:57 am EDT Ypsilanti, MI

Saturn means structure, it also means limits and order and reality. Where Jupiter represents faith, Saturn represents religion. Where Jupiter represents commerce, Saturn represents business organizations, where Jupiter represents education, Saturn represents the school board and so forth.

Saturn has a way of bringing things down to earth, and providing the structure and standards without which we cannot produce excellence.

Saturn has finally moved from Leo into Virgo.

Saturn in Leo, like Saturn in Cancer, remained in a nasty mood for the duration. Saturn’s hard pragmatic edge is rubbed up the wrong way by Cancer’s strong nurturing and familial spirit, and Saturn’s mechanical group-think is not fond of Leo’s self-aggrandizement and die-hard loyalty. We’ve had the worst 5 years Saturn has to offer. They are now behind us until Saturn moves back into Cancer when my now 4-year-old is almost 30.

We can now breathe a collective sigh of relief.

For Virgo, the challenge over the next two and a half years will be to "make it real". Virgo tends to dither, Saturn will cure it of that. Mercury will find it has some backbone. Either that, or Mercury will become depressive, finding that saturnine reality is more than it wants to deal with.

This will be a period where the bean-counters will rise to the top and make a nuisance of themselves. We will find more CEO’s appointed with financial and accounting backgrounds.

Saturn in Virgo is great for folks with placements in Capricorn, less fun for those with placements in Taurus, but its not all bad.

Virgo is a mutable sign. The Mutable signs tend to require structure to function, so Saturn here could be a stabilizing influence where the mutable signs are up for the challenge of stability, or a disruptive influence where the mutable signs are content with chaos.

The mutable signs are Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces and Gemini. The planets that rule those signs are Mercury and Jupiter.

Realty comes a-calling... can the mutable signs make up their minds? Will Mercury gain some backbone or wallow in depression? Will Jupiter use the boundaries to achieve excellence or burn itself out in the name of freedom?

It all comes down to the attitude we take to the circumstances in which we find ourselves.

And, after all, the attitude we take to our circumstances is the only freedom that is wholly our own to administer.

Take Care

Rod

Political showdown, Stronger business.

2007-09-01T17:38:00.000-04:00

Business and Politics

Lunar Eclipse, 6:35:01 am, August 28 2007, Ypsilanti, Michigan.
(effective as full moon until new moon, September 11, 2007)

As discussed in the astrology post on this eclipse, the subtext of the mood of the people has shifted from “attention to detail” to “spirituality and belief”.

Between now and February, the successful appeal will be made to “something greater than ourselves”. Folks have tired of the details its time to present a big picture.

Locally, the eclipse still favors the voice of opposition, with the leadership feeling trapped and imposing greater burdens on the people as a result.

The people as a whole are largely oblivious to this pending burden.

An active opposition has been stirring the pot for some time, it is now time for that opposition to present its manifesto, to give the people a reason to believe and a reason to implement change.

The leadership is not without strength, and its ability to add unseen burdens to the people is not to be taken lightly. We can expect some “tough talk” from our leaders locally.

This all points to a showdown over the income tax in Ypsilanti. I’ll be interested to hear how it affects other communities in the region.

The strongest appeal for either party will be to the family and the home.

For local business, the difficulties continue, however appeal to “core clientele” and family values will capture the imagination of the locals.

There are stronger indicators for steady cash-flow for those who are bold and prepared to take calculated risks. It is time for some well-thought-out marketing targeting high ideals and old-time values… though wait until after September 8th do implement a marketing plan.

Because this eclipse carries some subtle effect for the holiday season, it is an indicator that the holiday season will be better than expected for local business. In the current climate, that’s saying something!.

Hopefully next week I’ll get this out a bit earlier

There will be stronger business and political indicators from the solar eclipse and from the Libra ingress of the sun.

Take Care

Rod

Wistful Pisces Eclipse

2007-08-28T23:29:00.000-04:00

Relationships.

Lunar Eclipse, 6:35:01 am, August 28 2007, Ypsilanti, Michigan.
(effective as full moon until new moon, September 11, 2007)

As I indicated in the astrology post, this eclipse represents a shift in mood from “attention to detail” to “the big picture”.

In the broadest possible brushstrokes, this is a tough eclipse on self image and self-understanding. It is a much easier eclipse on ideology and spirituality. In a nutshell, this eclipse will suit the self-deprecating religions really well, though those religions that rely on the cult of personality will fare very poorly indeed.

The wise will be learning lessons about personal attachment to spiritual values under this eclipse.

More locally, the embattled self of this eclipse is a big influence for most of the continental USA, the West Coast states having a slightly easier time of it, and the belt of states from Texas to the Dakotas faring worst of all.

Closer to home again, there is a strong sense of guilt associated with this eclipse in the eastern states and up to the group of Michigan counties including Washtenaw, Livingston, Genesee, Lenawee, the eastern part of Ingham and Jackson counties.

The strength of this eclipse locally is found in two key words. One is “my partner” with a subtext of “ideals”. The other is “my family”, with the subtext of “vision”. The weakness of this eclipse is found in the keyword “me”, with the subtext of “details”.

On a positive note, there will be a surge of spiritual yearning, and a strong reinforcement of family values. Many will look to their partners for inspiration and strength. Partners will represent a good filter through which to interpret family rules and regulations. Clear communication is the key to making the most out of this eclipse season.

On the other side of the coin, there will be a lot of folks feeling victimized or belittled by their “significant other” over the next little while. Some will feel that their families prefer the company of the partner than of the family member. There will be a lot of folks longing for better than they have and there will be some who pine for their idealized relationship to the point of not coping well at all.

So, the bottom line for relationships in the local area? If your relationship is solid and secure and mutually supportive, the eclipse presents a time when you can learn a lot more from your partner than you can from yourself, a great time to use the partner as the “mirror”. If your relationship is not so solid or based on competition, its going to get rough for a while. Where there is conflict, it will be based on self-worth, each partner feeling as though the other is making them look or feel bad.

For the single, count your blessings!!!! dream away about the ideal partner if that’s what floats your boat, support your friends where you can. Even the happy, willfully, deliberately single are likely to feel a little pang of loneliness over this period, however, a quick reality check with your friends in relationships should cure you of this.

I’ll get to the politics post tomorrow

Take Care

Rod

Up-dated links

2007-08-27T15:39:00.000-04:00

Updated Links

Just a quick note to let everyone know I have fixed the links for my astrology site, even the old (and somewhat embarrassing) stuff.

Just for the record, I maintain my own sites, so if you come across a dud link on your way through, please let me know

Rod.

Shifting Sands-Eclipse August 28-Astrology

2007-08-26T15:14:00.001-04:00

Lunar Eclipse August 28, 2007 6:35:01 am EDT, Ypsilanti, MI

NOTE: 2008 eclipse is listed in the side-bar, this is the 07 lunar eclipse!!

A Lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon. If we are up early in the morning (5:52 am) of August 28, we will see the red-moon of the eclipse (provided the clouds allow us the pleasure).

The last total Lunar eclipse I viewed was directly overhead in Adelaide, South Australia, in the June of 2000. It is quite a spectacle as the Moon darkens in the penumbra, then turns a deep red as it rests in the shadow of the Earth for a good long while.

A Lunar eclipse is an interruption to the ability of the Moon to reflect the light of the Sun. (One might note that there is no interruption to the light of the Moon in a solar eclipse, rather it is the light of the Sun that is blocked in that case).

In esoteric terms, the Lunar Eclipse portends a change in the subtle rhythms of the Moon. While every event (full moon, new moon, etc) has its effect based on its chart, the eclipse provides a subtext to the Moon’s influence. The last Lunar eclipse was in Virgo, this one is in Pisces. The subtext of the Moon’s event charts will shift from “dedicated service” to “inflated possibilities”, from “the need to identify” to “the need to include”, and from “the bean counter” to “the politician”.

In predictive terms, a Lunar eclipse is shorter-lived and less significant than a Solar Eclipse. The ancients discussed duration of any season in terms of the ascendant, a fixed ascendant being longer lasting than mutable, and a cardinal ascendant being shortest of all. By that rule, the eclipse will be longer lasting for we in Washtenaw county and points West to the west coast states where the eclipse has Leo rising, Wayne county and points East will have a less durable effect where the eclipse has Virgo rising, and the West Coast will have a less durable effect again where the eclipse has Cancer rising

In personal terms, a Lunar Eclipse effects those with planets on the eclipse axis or on the axis 90 degrees from the eclipse axis, and it represents a major shift in one’s emotional climate. In this eclipse, those axes are 4 degrees of Pisces, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Gemini.

The eclipse is in Pisces and Virgo. For the Moon in Pisces, we look first to Jupiter, who is strong in Sagittarius and moving forward. This is a strong eclipse, made stronger wherever its key elements (Moon, Sun, Jupiter) are angular (Houses 1, 4, 7, 10). The Moon’s domicile, Cancer, is empty and marks the 12th house cusp in Ypsilanti

For Sun in Virgo we look first to Mercury. By the ancient rules for rulership, Mercury is too close to the Sun to be its ruler. (the reasoning behind that is that Mercury cannot be seen with the naked eye when it is within 15 degrees of the Sun, the distance between Sun and Mercury in this eclipse is 12 degrees). We then look to its term ruler, which is also Mercury. We then look to its Triplicity rulers which are Venus (day), the Moon (night) and Mars (participating). Of these three, the Moon is the strongest, and the Moon we have traced back to Jupiter

In the Sun’s domicile, we have Saturn and retrograde Venus. This means that our Virgo Sun has strong jovial tendencies, however it is hampered by both Venus and Saturn.

While it is always prudent to look at the Sun and the Moon in these charts, this chart is clearly dominated by the Moon, and by Jupiter. The Sun has an air of amplified frustration attached to it, while the Moon has an air of dominance attached to it. These properties are important when considering house placements.

So, lets look at this chart for Ypsilanti and Washtenaw County.

The first thing we notice is that the Ascendant of this chart is 29 degrees 57 minutes of Leo, which is 3 arc minutes from the first degree of Virgo. The eclipse has Virgo rising at Bellville and points east, and Leo rising at Willow Run and points west.

The next thing we notice is that this chart has Saturn in the 12th house, but less than a degree form the Ascendant. This means that Saturn is in the first house for points West of Lansing and Jackson.

Basically, this chart has characteristics which make it unique in our little part of the world. We have Leo rising and Saturn in the 12th for this eclipse.

This eclipse will have folks in a buoyant, confident mood, finding great strength in the home and in familiar patterns.

While the mood (Moon) is strong, the actual well being of the people (Ascendant) is in much poorer shape. This produces, all up, a sense of “my-way myopia”, the sense that “my way” is the right way, even if “my world” is falling apart.

The eclipse will also have leaders imposing heavy burdens on the people according to the equal MC chart. The ruler of the MC would be Venus except it is retrograde, which leads us to Saturn as the term ruler. Saturn is in detriment in Leo and is in the 1st MC house. The burden imposed has the potential to generate long-term resentment.

All areas of the US where either Leo or Virgo are rising for this eclipse will experience some disarray and hardship under this eclipse, however the strength of family and core values will keep spirits up. The band of states from Texas to the Dakotas are possibly in for some really difficult times.

More on politics and relationships shortly

Take Care

Rod

Mars Hoax 4 years running

2007-08-22T12:28:00.000-04:00

The Mars Hoax

I got an e-mail this year, for the third consecutive year running, that tells us Mars will be closer to the Earth on August 27, than it has ever been for 60,000 years… one such e-mail even gives the mistaken impression that Mars would look like a full moon.

Yes folks, it is a hoax. It began in 2003, when Mars and Earth did make their closest encounter for 60,000 years or so.

At that time, Mars was particularly bright in the sky, but at no time in recorded history has Mars been close enough to appear as big as the Moon. By our current understanding of celestial mechanics, Mars the size of the Moon is improbable in the extreme. If such a thing were to happen we’d have bigger fish to fry, and an Internet brouhaha would pale in significance.

Snopes has the official line for the debunk.

Right now, if the clouds ever clear, you will see Mars rise at about 1 am in the constellation of Taurus, being the brighter red spot beside Aldebaran (the eye of the Bull) and a little way down from the Pleiades (looks like a string of pearls dropped in the sky above Taurus).

This year, we make our closest run with Mars in the period from November through all of January, during its retrograde transit.

The hoax is harmless enough, but I like to keep the record straight.

Take Care

Rod

Little did I know

2007-08-18T04:06:00.000-04:00

Little did I know…

When I wrote about the opposition being quiet over this moon (August 12, 2007), I was hesitant to say “silenced” which is implied by Mercury’s square to the MC while very close to the Sun, especially with Mars in Gemini (Mercury’s domain) being ruler of the MC.

So what happened?

In Ypsilanti’s Heritage Festival, the parade is a who’s who of community movers and shakers, a “big day out” for the folks who make up the heart and soul of the city.

In Ypsi’s political landscape, there is a group known as Stop City Income Tax (SCIT) who is a bunch of citizens who are sick to the teeth of the way the city has been run.

This group, like many others, applied for a position in the parade. They were granted that position on August 9th by the co-chair of the committee running the parade. SCIT received their place and their confirmation in writing.

On August 15th, under this new moon, SCIT received a phone call from the Heritage Festival Committee saying that they couldn’t appear in the parade after all, this is, of course, after they had spent $750.00 gearing up for the parade.

The strong implication about town is that City officials leaned on the Committee to have the SCIT folks banned.

In effect, the City silenced their opposition by having them banned from the parade.

As I said in the blog, the “silence” is short lived, and it is my firm belief that this will make the SCIT cause stronger in the long term.

Of course, the lack of a parade presence is not enough to actually silence these folks.

Next time, when it looks like “silenced” maybe I’ll say it instead of the safer, more passive “quiet”.

UPDATE: This move by the Heritage Festival Committee gave SCIT coverage in both the Ann Arbor News and the Detroit Free Press, and they marched in the parade anyway.

The attempt to silence these folks backfired in a big way.

And perhaps that's the true strength of the square between Mercury (which is obscured by the Sun and therefore powerless) and the MC. I doubt that I could have called it this way ahead of time, but it is fascinating to watch it play out.

Take Care

Rod

Retrograde Hysteria...

2007-08-17T00:03:00.000-04:00

Then, there’s reality…

So, what happens when you HAVE to do something under a retrograde transit, like a friend who is looking for work in a tough job market under the current retrograde Venus, and gets an offer that will keep body and soul together for a while?

You take it.!!! It may not be “the perfect job” but its a whole lot better than no job. With retrograde Venus I’d be cautious about getting too attached to it, but as a job to keep your hand in your career and food on your table, and the word “determination” emblazoned on your résumé, take it!!!

Its not as if any time short of next February is going to be much fun for exciting new opportunities anyway, but February is a long way off if you’re not working!! So take the job, any job, and revisit the career when things are little better.

The retrograde transits are times of “heightened scrutiny” by the planets. Lots of stuff comes to light under these transits, and with Venus it is about values and valuables.

If you are in business, you have to continue to do business, sign contracts, make important decisions and generally continue with your business regardless of what the planets are doing.

Don’t take financial short-cuts under a retrograde Venus. Make sure your transactions happen properly and in order. Make sure the folks you do business with are heading in the same direction. Its all about being aware of what’s going on, its not about putting your life on hold until the planets are more favorable.

There are very few folks in the world who have sufficient independent wealth to be able to put their lives on hold while the planets have an "attack of the vapors"... for the rest of us, it’s a matter of making the best out of what’s available, and being aware of what might happen.

Having said all of that, it is true that I told my buyers agent the dates that I would and would not sign to buy my current house based on retrograde Venus and retrograde Mercury. Am I superstitious? No! But I do know how much this house means to my wife and myself, and I had no intention of signing on a day that would have me question the value of our decision.

I know a midwife who would like to set up a practice. I suggested she hold off until Venus is direct. Midwifery is her life’s work. Setting it up under retrograde Venus would be less than clever. My suggestion? Wait until Venus is in forward motion, and a long way from the Sun. Venus is better in Leo than in Virgo and so forth.

And that is the difference. When a transaction is part of the hum-drum of life, the forward and retrograde motions of the planets give us some insight into how to conduct our business. However, when we are setting up a new venture to which we are deeply attached, it is THEN that we want to make certain of the motions of the planets. The job we get under retro Venus may not be ideal, but it will keep us fed.

I hope this makes sense of what retrogrades mean, and more importantly, what use we can put them to.

Take Care

Rod

Astrology August 12, 2007

2007-08-12T23:59:00.000-04:00

Astrology

New Moon
August 12, 2007 7:02:24 pm EDT
Ypsilanti, MI USA

Effective until full moon (eclipse) August 28, 2007

The Sun dominates this chart, being both the sect ruler of the nativity, and in its own domicile, and in the 7th house, and the dispositor of the ascendant ruler (Saturn).

This is a 7th house waxing moon, though it shares its degree with the 8th equal house cusp from the ascendant, throwing some emphasis on the 8th. In the 8th we have Saturn and Venus, closely conjunct, while Venus is retrograde.

There is not much point trying to say something cheerful about retrograde Venus meeting with Saturn. A combination of disappointing values and hard reality in the house of death, intimacy and mysterious behavior is just plain unpleasant.

The individual, and the people as a whole, are both represented by the ascendant, which is in Aquarius and is ruled by Saturn in Leo in the 8th.

The 8th provides the basis for the “rumor mill” discussion in the political post, and for the “intimacy” discussion on the relationships post.

In the MC chart, the New Moon is brought to the 7th cusp, as are Saturn and Venus. The Saturn /Venus conjunction is very tight, and the combination bring an unmistakable air of hard-nosed dryness, the hard light of reality shown on what we thought were our core values. It is this feature in the MC 7th that brings the “values issue” to the attention of the partner in the relationship post, and gives the wise leader pause about being too hasty about the silence of the opposition.

The silence of the opposition is shown by Mercury, who is very close to square the MC in the 7th cusp position, however he is also very close to the Sun, and is therefore overshadowed and overruled by the personalities involved. His strong presence implies calculation behind the scenes. Mars in Mercury’s domicile in the 4th MC house adds to the air of secrecy and covert behavior.

With a generally disgruntled disposition to the ascendant, the people are going to be grumpy and hard to please.

There is a strong possibility that Ypsilanti will lose one or two of its famous “sons or daughters” during this moon.

Jupiter in the 11th Ascendant house adds to the power of the rumor mill, while mars in the 5th opposes it from a position of diminished power.

Jupiter’s position in the 10th MC house makes for a strong couple of weeks for leadership decisions, however the opposition from MC ruler Mars in the 4th should not be ignored, or it will fester into something more damaging.

I hope that the new format makes this a better tool for everyone.

Take care

Rod

Relationships August 12, 2007

2007-08-12T16:41:00.000-04:00

Relationships

New Moon
August 12, 2007 7:02:24 pm EDT
Ypsilanti, MI USA

Effective until full moon (eclipse) August 28, 2007

Singles

While the desire to have a fling looks appealing right now, its probably the worst time of all to get into a lasting relationship. There are likely to be a lot of reactionary “flings” from folks in long-standing relationships. Having a little fun is one thing, getting tied up in someone else’s domestic mess is very much another.

Keep it fun. Keep it simple. Keep it happy. Keep it open and on the same page. If it looks like getting complex, drop it like a hot potato.

For those of you looking for “the right one” keep looking until at least September 8. Things are not what they seem right now. There’s not a whole lot of joy on the horizon until February 2008.

Couples

This has been a tough few months for many relationships in the county, and this fortnight is not going to be much different.

Couples of every stripe are going to feel a distinct coldness in the intimacy department. The other partner is likely to feel distant and cool. This is crucially important, because both partners are likely to see it in the other.

Those who are questioning the values of their significant others are going to find the issue is being projected, loud and clear, into the other partners ear. What you thought was a secret gripe, and perhaps even a taboo subject, is about to be dropped into your partner’s lap.

It is best you are prepared for this. Get a grip on the issue, get a firm understanding of what needs to be said, and how you might breach the subject; then watch for the tell-tale signs that your partner knows something’s up.

There is a lot of latitude here for you to handle this gracefully, but it is going to require a bit of work. Avoid strident judgment (You do this or you don’t do that because you are a despicable human being.) Instead, try bringing it down to the basic facts without assuming any motive on the other person’s part. (Something is causing a problem here, and this is what it looks like from my end).

Of course, it takes two to tango, and your partner is likely to have this same type of issue brewing where you are concerned. Be prepared for a judgmental blow about your own behavior, though with any luck, your partner will prefer the non-judgmental style mentioned above.

For couples not in crisis, the general sense of cool in the intimacy department will still be felt for the couple of weeks, you might want to lend a hand to those who are in crisis.

Actions are going to speak louder than words this couple of weeks, finding the common ground between yourself and your partner will be a key to success. The temptation to shoot off at the mouth will cause problems if left unchecked.

Families and businesses

The same things apply in business and families as they do in personal relationships, however the issues are less likely to be about values and love, and more likely to be about money and malfeasance.

There are issues, which are usually private, that are about to come out into the open, and there are discussions to be had around boardroom tables and dining room tables alike.

Again I will iterate, avoid strident judgments. Each person needs to get their own perspective out in the open without passing judgment, or assuming they know the motives of another. Those leading the discussion need to bring a consensus of group mind, but the wise will avoid taking action unless the situation is crystal clear, and the action absolutely necessary.

Take Care

Rod

Politics-Business August 12

2007-08-12T15:13:00.000-04:00

Politics and business

New Moon
August 12, 2007 7:02:24 pm EDT
Ypsilanti, MI USA

Effective until full moon (eclipse) August 28, 2007

The People

The next couple of weeks represent a time of investigation and inquiry for the people of Washtenaw county and surrounding districts. A private “witch hunt” for personal accountability over issues of mistrust. This is not likely to be a very public affair, but rather an act of subterfuge, a whispering in the corners and dark places, a discussion between friends over breakfast, phone calls held in private, a lot of mischief centered around people and personalities.

Folks will be centering their attention on the faults of another, holding the other to a ridiculously high standard, as a way of subconsciously deflectging attention away from their own inadequacies.

This is the time when the next major rumor and gossip campaign will start, and it can be very damaging to those who are at the center of the attention.

The Leaders

The period of heightened opposition is still upon us, however the tide is slowly turning. The opposition is going quiet, (though it is still very present) and there is a sense of growing support from families and from the more conservative elements of the community, however capitalizing on that support will take some clever planning.

There are two ways a leader can approach the current situation. He (or she) can either believe that the population are ignorant (or worse, deluded) and “stay the course”, or she (or he) can embrace the “group think” of the people and meld it into the plans for the future.

The gut instinct of the leader may well be to stay the course, the quitening of the opposition giving her or him a false sense of security in the status quo. The silence of the opposition does not mean it has gone home, just that it is working on a more devastating campaign. Intransigence under a very strong Jupiter is a great way to make a spectacular flop.

To alienate families and the conservative element at this time will be to create a greater problem later. It is possible, even probable, that there is common ground to be had there, however it requires flexibility and canny negotiation to bring it out.

Business

The cunning businessperson will be the master of the “gosh its awful” conversations that will dominate popular discussion over the next couple of weeks. Nodding sagely and agreeing with the harsh judgments pronounced by your clients will hold you in good stead. It too shall pass.

Steady success, and the look of success, will bring you a lot more business than any glossy campaign or fancy advertising over the next two weeks. Basically, the people are in a mood to kvetch, therefore you need to rely on non-verbal means for exciting the public mind. Looking better than your opposition is a great way to get ahead. Drawing too much attention to yourself, however, is likely to make you a target. The emphasis has to be on stability and success rather than on pizzazz.

Cash flow is likely to be erratic, and high-pressure sales will cause more problems than it can solve over these couple of weeks. Meeting people where they think they are at will get you a lot further.

I hope the new format is more useful to you all.

Take Care

Rod

Smell the Coffee

2007-07-31T00:07:00.000-04:00

Full Moon July 29, 2007 8:47 PM EDT
Ypsilanti, MI
Valid until August 12, 2007

Wake Up!....

And smell the coffee!

Listen to the other people in your life!!

This is the two week period when the folks in our region can really get a handle on how other folks are thinking and how they can, themselves, become part of something bigger.

The “Values Assessment” of retrograde Venus is in full swing, and there is no time like the present to set our own priorities and listen to those of the other people in our lives.

The time is right for drawing people together under a common banner.

For leaders in the community, the news is not so great. While this will be a better couple of weeks than those just gone, its still a tough overall period. The grass roots are still seething, and it seems like it takes forever to accomplish anything at all. Leaders are still feeling the pinch of opposition parties and still have to work really hard to get any idea what the people themselves are thinking. Those leaders who take personal responsibility seriously will have an easier time of it, but its still difficult.

The opposition parties need to be hammering personal values and accountability where they see them lacking.

Those most strongly affected by this moon have significant placements early in the fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius).

Things to keep in mind

Venus is currently retrograde. Values are the key issue at the moment and knowing who to trust is difficult. Signing contracts, starting ventures, and forging partnerships needs to be held off until September if at all possible.

Mercury does another retrograde in October, and Mars turns retrograde in November. They all march on, one after the other, and it makes it a bad period, between now and February 08, to be starting much of anything. There are windows of opportunity, however they are surrounded by long periods of difficulty, each retrograde having its particular effect.

The retrograde periods are great times for introspection, research, planning and development. Also great for troubleshooting.

The Astrology

Aquarius Full moon right on the Ascendant in the first house makes this a very strong moon in the community. THIS is the community “awareness-raising” period. The opposition between self (Leo) and other (Aquarius) makes this a great period for the listening and learning functions of relationship, again made much stronger in this district by the proximity to the ascendant.

The leadership woes are pat of a much biggr problem, however Jupioter in ten, (though retrograde) means thatthere will be at least some progress in these couple of weeks.

Disgruntled grass roots (Mars in 3 in Taurus) just a hard time there, we’re looking for better things as Mars enters Gemini in the next coupe of weeks.

Hard-working opposition making use of retrograde Venus to really keep the leaders sharp, Saturn right on the descendant holding the power of the people and torching the feet of the leaders. The power is building in the opposition, and it is likely to peak in the August new moon period to come.

‘Till then

Take Care

Rod

What to expect from Retrograde Venus

2007-07-26T01:13:00.000-04:00

(Values and Valuables under the microscope)

From June 24 through October 13 2007, Venus will hone in on the part of the Zodiac between 16 degrees of Leo and 3 degrees of Virgo. This phenomenon is known as Venus’ retrograde period and happens once every 18 months or so.

From June 24 through July 14, personal values will become paramount. Lots of discussion about personal morality should ensue (or should have already transpired at this point).

The period from July 14 trough July 27 will see the focus shift to service, and the energy will become decidedly nit-picky. The tendency to find fault will become stronger in folks who are affected by this transit. The tendency to nag or be nagged will escalate for others. These tendencies really need to be addressed before the 27th or the fallout could be severe over the following weeks.

For single folk the period from July 27 through September 8 is going to feel particularly cold if you are looking for a partner, though some of the encounters which go wrong in this period should be revisited in the period from September 8 through October 12. I advise strongly against pursuing romantic attachments that spring up under a retrograde Venus.

The period from July 27 through August 9 will see issues that were left unresolved in the previous fortnight brought to a head in ways that are undesirable and likely to lead to some distancing between parties affected. I would advise against separation under retrograde Venus, but it is a possibility when folks feel unloved or unheard.

For those who brought their issues out in the open before the retrograde, this will present at time for making the commitment to work past the fault-finding thing, and concentrate on the real issues, the issues of core values, which underlie the bickering.

The period from August 9 through August 18 will see the morality issues raised in June-July brought back into the limelight, with more emphasis on personality than on morality. For struggling couples, this will see the height of the argumentative period where ego, takes precedence over anything else. For those who are working through their issues, this will still represent a time of inflated ego, and care needs to be taken by everyone during this period.

The period from August 18 through September 8 will see the emphasis shift from values to valuables. Those in difficulty will start arguing about who’s going to get what. Those who are working through their issues should work at resolving financial issues together.

The period from September 8 through October 12 is the time to really focus on reconciling the issues that caused division under the retrograde and deal more thoroughly with them. Financial matters that have soured in the previous couple of weeks should turn around. Personal financial responsibility will be a major theme over that time.

Repair the damage

2007-07-16T10:22:00.000-04:00

New Moon July 14, 2007 8:03:40 am
Ypsilanti, MI
Effective until Full Moon July 29, 2007

Repair the damage

There is a strong conservative feel to the coming couple of weeks. The focus on family values will take on a spiritual glow as folks seek to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.

Elected officials will be appealing to conservative values in order to make restitution for past mistakes.

Leaders are likely to burn up resources in damage control, which is going to get up the noses of the grass roots pretty thoroughly. Many administrations are still largely working at odds with the people.

For the leaders who are presenting challenges to the people that are well reasoned and make judicious use of resources, the picture is much stronger. “personal responsibility” is going to be the catch cry with the neighborhoods, a wise leader will use that to his or her advantage.

The people are going to start really feeling the burden of past indiscretions and grandiose ideas. This will become more strongly focused over the next couple of weeks, another good time for grass roots groups to raise awareness in the greater population. Opposition groups would do well to capitalize on the growing discontent.

On a positive note, it’s a good couple of weeks for those in the healing arts and those with a spiritual focus in their work. There is a general spiritual yearning developing in the community.

For those affected by Mercury’s recent retrograde, the time is right to repair the damage done by the various communications crises which erupted over he past few weeks, most particularly where they affected relationships.

Those most affected.

The new moon is strongest for those with placements in the late degrees (20-30) of Cancer, and the other cardinal signs (Capricorn Libra, Aries)

Anger and tension will be most heavily felt by those with placements in the middle degrees (10-20) of Taurus and the other fixed signs (Scorpio, Leo and Aquarius), though it’s worth mentioning that this waxing period is less intense than it has been for these people over the last month.

Things to keep in mind

Venus will retrograde on the 27th, a transit that will last until September 8th . Values and valuables are Venus’ keywords, and a retrograde transit happens only once in 18 months or so.

Lunar Eclipse, August 28

Solar eclipse, September 11

Mercury Retro October 12

Mars retro November 15

Astro Analysis

Mars in 10 and Saturn in 1 makes for a time when folks are still feeling the weight of the world on their shoulders.

The New Moon in 12th has people seeking spiritual solutions.

Mars square the Ascendant in Taurus in the house of the leaders is burning resources and getting up the noses of the general population.

Chiron sitting on the descendant suggests reconciliation is a great move for couples, though there is still some pain to work through there. Those who are committed to finding a resolution will do well, those who choose to find fault will have a worse time of it.

Till next time

Have fun

Rod

Personal Responsibility.

2007-06-30T12:38:00.000-04:00

Full Moon June 30, 2007 9:48:38 am
Ypsilanti, Michigan
Effective until New Moon, July 14, 2007

A season for personal responsibility.

Relationships (personal and business… any binding, committed relationship) are still somewhat strained in the general community, as the ideals and reality are brought together on a theoretical basis, but nothing very concrete is emerging just yet. Old wounds are having undue influence on current planning, leaving issues unresolved, even though they feel very close to resolution.

Those who want to use the current season to their benefit will need to talk honestly and often about the pain from the past, on both sides of the relationship, that is holding them back, and commit time and resources to understanding the other.

Personal responsibility is the key to resolving the issues that erupt during these couple of weeks.

Resentment will build under this moon if it goes unchecked.

Personal responsibility will be high on the list of discussion topics over the next couple of weeks. Core values are going to be subject to the hard light of reality, elected officials will feel very exposed, the general community is going to look for a better plan, a new vision as it seeks to distance itself from those it has trusted with its well being.

Disappointment over deceptions of the past will be palpable throughout the community.

Grass roots opposition groups need to spend this couple of weeks working on their next foray, and let the elected officials slip in their own mess.

Leaders who ignore the advice of the Solstice reading are going to try to smear their enemies and foist the burden of responsibility onto the people. This is likely to backfire into grassroots anger as the failures of elected officials become the stuff of public ridicule.

On a much lighter note, this is a great period for special events and generally having a lot of fun. Events focusing on family values and days gone by should see some great exposure this over the next couple of weeks. Event organizers need to be vigilant in attending to details and make sure they have contingency plans for predictable delays.

Those Most Affected

The combined influence of the full moon and retrograde Mercury heavily impacts (again) those with early Cardinal (Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn) placements. Juggling issues of “self” and “other” is going to be difficult as understanding is severely hampered by past experience. Resolution will be more forthcoming as the New Moon approaches.

Those with placements around 20 degrees Fixed (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) are under increased pressure again for this two week period. As with the last New Moon, this couple of weeks keeps the pressure up on what is an on-going, painful issue. The focus diminishes with the New Moon, however the coming Venus Retrograde will ensure some pressure for a while to come.

Things to keep in mind.

Mercury’s retrograde finishes on July 9 and resolution of Mercury’s issues (whatever blew up in your face over the previous couple of weeks) will be most effective from July 9 to July 25.

Venus has begun her period of strong influence, and begins her retrograde transit on July 27. This retrograde ends September 8, and resolution of Venus’ issues (the “values” issues that wouldn’t leave you alone, or the “love lost” issues) will be most effective from September 8 through October 12.

The Astro Analysis

The elusive resolution to difficulties is shown by the proximity of Saturn to the Ascendant, and its 12th house position locally. It is so close to the ascendant, that those on the west side of the county will find resolution easier, as will those in Lansing and the west side of the State. However, it is 12th house and without a lot of work, there will be no real resolution for relationship difficulties. The pain and idealism are seen across the chart with the Neptune/Chiron opposition to the Saturn/Venus conjunction.

It is a difficult time for anyone with placements around the 15-25 degrees fixed

Resentment building under the moon is marked by Mars’ ingress into Taurus and its rulership of the 4th and 9th houses.

The proximity to the ascendant of Saturn/Venus in Leo makes personal responsibility a BIG issue this period. Venus’ strength as she approaches retrograde means that issues raised over this period are going to be the ones that come back to haunt us in the retrograde.

Disappointment over past deceptions…. A Saturn-ruled moon in 5 (killjoy) opposing a Moon-ruled Sun in 11 (elected officials, other groups of friends) which is conjunct a retrograde (past issues) Mercury.

Grass roots (3rd) ruled by Venus in 12…. Good time to lay low and plan.

Leaders (MC) ruled by Venus, which moves to the 1st house in the political chart (MC Chart), clearly indicates an attempt to push responsibility back onto the people. Neptune in 7th shows an attempt to smear the opposition, however retrograde Mercury conjunct the Sun in the 11th is going to see this plan fail, and Mars in the 9th will see resentment build.

Public ridicule for the failings of the leadership is displayed by the Moon in the 5th as the significator of the people, opposing the 11th house sun discussed above. One could expect a few choice cartoons to emerge in the next couple of weeks.

In summary, a hard couple of weeks to be in power, a difficult time for relationships, not a great week for anyone except pranksters, however the community as a whole will do fairly well in spite of the details.

Take Care

Rod

A Long Hot Summer in Politics

2007-06-20T01:08:00.000-04:00

For this particular year, the mundane prediction for the area should be made in 4 quarterly steps, the first at the Spring Equinox, the second at the Summer Solstice, the third at Autumn Equinox, and the fourth at the Winter Solstice.

This is the Summer Solstice quarter of that cycle, and this assessment of the chart is good until the Autumn Equinox on September 23rd.

Like the lunar chart, this is a general prediction for the district.

It sets the general trend for the area in terms of reputation and leadership.

This chart has “scandal exposed” written all over it. If ever there was a time to haul elected officials over the coals, this is it. It’s going to be a long hot summer in Washtenaw county.

Leadership is going to be lacking for the most part for the quarter. In spite of cries from the grass roots for a new plan and a new way of doing things, leaders are going to be reworking old plans, and staying with the tried and true. Ducking for cover and staying out of sight will be the wise leaders default position this quarter.

Depending on your standpoint, this could be a good or bad thing.

The truly wise will be calculating the cost of previous mistakes, reviewing the things that have actually worked well, and weighing them carefully in the balance. The truly wise will appoint someone (but please spare us from more “experts”) to assess the feelings of the grass roots and quietly work on implementing grass-roots reform to foster good relations and long-term gains. They will resist the temptation of the spotlight and endless rhetorical bloviation.

But how many of our leaders are truly wise?

A wise opposition movement might have its mouthpieces articulating grass roots concerns (while its leader practices the restraint above). A wise opposition movement will give a loud voice to the need for reform, and show a determined strategy for action. A wise opposition will haul elected officials over the coals.

But how many of our opposition movements are truly wise?

All leaders in the district are going to come under fire from strong, open opponents. When weighed in the balance, the strength of the quarterly chart lies with the opponents. All administrations can expect more confusion than usual in their chain of command. The grass roots is going to feel un-heard. The greater population will remain largely clueless, however if they are spurred into action, it will be by a well-organized opposition.

The force for change and lady luck abide with the disgruntled grass roots and its voice in opposition this summer.

Leaders in the spotlight will suffer from foot-in-mouth disease. For those leaders who can get off their podium, adopt a careful, minimalist approach to public announcements, and work at hearing the grass roots out, there is some hope that they can deflect the heat back to the opposition, but they have their work cut out for them.

Police forces throughout the district will face a larger-than-usual quantity of difficult crimes and elusive criminals. They may be called upon to take un-popular action against regular citizens. Disputes between law enforcement operatives and administors that have not been resolved prior to the solstice will remain unresolved for the quarter.

The judiciary is going to have a rough time as well, lots of adjournments, indecision, and mixed messages sent to the public.

The school district are on the opposite end of the same scandal pattern as the elected officials. The upheaval that has already beset out schools will continue. Obfuscation will cease, heads will roll, and painful decisions will be made.

The astro-analysis

The “scandal” is the loose conjunction between Saturn and Venus in the 11th opposed by Neptune and Chiron, loosely conjunct in the 5th . By the old methods, only the Saturn/Venus conjunction would be seen, and that is pretty telling on its own. The added influence of a couple of modern chart objects adds to the intensity, the pain, and the mystery.

The Sun is in Cancer in the 9th house, and while its position looks strong at a glance, its ruler, the Moon, is in the 12th. The Moon’s ruler is Mercury which is retrograde in the 10th.

This is a whole lot of “no fun” for the people or for the reputation of the district. The district may try to pull off a facsimile of great ideals and unlimited opportunity, but it won’t wash this quarter.

The MC is also in Cancer, facing the same issues as the Sun with the same net result. There is no joy in this quarter for leaders or their administrations. A low profile is the best remedy, but that’s going to be hard to pull off.

Mercury retrograde in 10 means that when leaders open their mouths, they’ll put their foot in them. When administrations try to go public, they will make mistakes. More telling though, is that if administrations are brought into the public arena, any malfeasance will be exposed.

Mars in Aries in 7th house is strengthened by Jupiter in Sagittarius in the 3rd and Saturn in Leo in the 11th . While Saturn is typically weak in Leo, its signification of “personal responsibility” is very telling when it is in the house of elected officials, especially when Mars and Jupiter are both in positions of great strength, Mars in the house of open enemies, and the Jupiter in the house of the grass roots supporters.

This gives a strong, well-organized opposition the opportunity of a lifetime to expose the weakness of any administration in the district.

Police are the 6th house (in service to the administration and the community), the Pisces cusp and Uranus present make for a difficult quarter for law enforcement with nothing being concrete and lots of surprises. Uranus’ opposition to the Moon suggests unpopular and unprecedented action against citizens.

Judiciary, 9th house, ruled by Mercury which is retrograde in the 10th. Ick!!

The school district is the 5th house, opposite elected officials. Chiron and Neptune, both retrograde, suggest a painful end to the troubles that have beset the district.

All up, the only winners this quarter are the opposition parties. Lets hope they don’t squander it with irrelevancies, infighting, and red herrings.

Take Care

Rod

Gemini New Moon

2007-06-14T13:18:00.000-04:00

June 14, 2007, 11:14 pm, Ypsilanti Michigan effective until June 30, 2007, 9:40 am

Summary.
A less intense moon locally that highlights fun but can bring some folks undone.

Basic Prediction

For the good folks in our district, an easier time over the next couple of weeks. The couples who have had strife over the last two weeks can now sit down, having examined their own personal faults, and understand the position of the other. The new moon in Gemini is conducive to understanding and “lightening up” a bit. Recovery from the heavy hard-hitting of the previous full moon is vital over this time-frame. CAREFUL communication is the key here.

I emphasize CAREFUL communication, because Mercury goes retrograde on June 15 and careless assumptions are going to bring you undone. Be certain that you understand EXACTLY what the other is saying.

Basically, lighten up, but put your mind into gear before putting your mouth into action.

On a more general level, the new moon places Mercury’s retrograde in the 6th house, which means its not going to be a huge factor in relationships, however there is likely to be a communications crisis in the health-care community. Double-check any information that comes your way regarding your health.

On the political front, leadership is likely to become active in their support base over the next two weeks, but the population needs to be careful of a major deception in the offing.

The 5th house Gemini moon is going to be conducive to excessive confidence, though Mercury’s retrograde is going to lead to exposure. One might also expect a political scandal in the entertainment industry.

Leaders need to be aware that their plans are going to come under cold, hard, scrutiny from open enemies, and any illusions put forward at this time will be hammered mercilessly. Attempts to hide the real consequences of proposals will be very tempting. Opponents will be vigilant. Communities facing current crises will be the most severely affected. Unfortunately, the ability to learn from the mistakes of the past is still elusive at this time.

A great couple of weeks for grass roots groups to build a support base.

Those most affected

Those with strength in 23-30 degrees of Capricorn will do well under this moon.

Those with strong Air (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) at 20-30 degrees will have a lot of fun.
Those with strong fixed (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) around the 16-24 degree mark. There is a long-running pattern that is giving these folks a general rough time, this new moon it will be stronger and brought to the foreground. It too shall pass.

Things to keep in mind

Retrograde Mercury from June 14 (11 deg Cancer) to July 10 (2 degrees Cancer)
Mercury Shadow begins May 30 and final shadow ends July 24.
Mercury’s keyword- communication, translation

Retrograde Venus from July 27 (2 degrees Virgo) to September 8 (16 degrees Leo)
Venus shadow begins June 23, and final shadow ends September 22.
Venus keyword- Values, Love as giving and receiving.

The Astro Analysis

These charts are set up in Ypsilanti, and are going to be generally true for Washtenaw County

The 5th house position of the New Moon means it’s general feeling is for fun and adventure, but its ruler, Mercury, is going to be retrograde for most of the period, so the fun is likely to have some unintended consequences.

The 25 degree Capricorn ascendant is gaining unexpected creative support from the Gemini new moon in the 5th house. A period for strong resolutions and for resolving previous conflicts.

The 20 degree Scorpio MC has its ruler (Mars) in the third in its own domicile. A period for strong grass roots support in the political arena, particularly for the “loyal opposition”.

Mercury at 11 degrees of Cancer is virtually at its retrograde station. In the 6th Ascendant house , it portends a communications crisis that affects the health-care of the LOCAL population. In the 5th MC houses, it portends a LOCAL political scandal in the entertainment industry.

I have already had some good feedback about this style of blog

I hope to improve the posts as I go along

Take Care

Rod

What on earth is going on?

2007-06-13T14:47:00.000-04:00

What on earth is going on?

The last two weeks have been hell on earth for many couples in and around Washtenaw County, and the astrological signatures were so conspicuous, I thought this would be as good a time as any to start this blog rolling.

I’m going to start with the current Full Moon (which is all but expired) because SO MANY people in our local district, and in my own circle of friends, have been having major relationship troubles.

Full Moon May 31 2007, 9:03 pm EDT Ypsilanti, MI

Basic prediction (with 20/20 hindsight for this one, but the rest will be ahead of time).

The problem.

Where a relationship needs a shake-up, it will happen under this moon. Relationships and families, partnerships and businesses, are all going to feel the pinch this full moon until the new moon on June 14.

Salt will be rubbed into sensitive wounds, irrational ideals will prevail, and long-lasting decisions will be made. Some irreparable damage to relationships may ensue.

If you don’t have a relationship per se, then the same might apply to any binding commitment you have.

If you are not experiencing these issues at this time, be thankful, and lend your support to your friends as they go through their issues.

Not everyone needs a shakeup, but this particular moon is going to apply to a lot of folks in this district.

The solution.

Realize that you are under as big a cloud of illusion as your partner appears to be. Work hard at finding the root cause of the issue. What is your part in the issue? What is your partner’s?. Communication is likely to be difficult. Understanding the other point of view will be difficult unless you are prepared to let go of your own point of view. Concentrate more on your own part in the issue. Do the introspective work, be honest and hard with yourself for a brief season, particularly in the last quarter of the moon. Remember to release whatever negativity you have built around yourself as the moon approaches its darkest moment. Being aware of your faults is one thing, hanging onto the negativity for any length of time is detrimental to your health.

DON’T DO ANYTHING HASTY !!

This is not a period for clear understanding. It will pass.

The coming New Moon will bring the opportunity you need for healing,clear thinking, and reconciliation. It is important to listen carefully to the things you learn about yourself during the dark period.

Things to keep in mind

Mercury’s coming retrograde will put a real challenge on communications, the things that have exploded under this full moon will need to be carefully worked through, or the Venus retrograde, which follows hot on Mercury’s heels, will cause a lasting rift. It doesn’t need to happen that way, but it’s a really strong possibility if you don’t take control during this coming new moon season.

Those most affected

Those with strong mutable (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) particularly around 10-15 degrees.

Those with strong cardinal (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) particularly around the 2-5 degree mark.

The astrological analysis (for those who are interested)

The first thing we notice is that the full moon is right on the ascendant of the local chart, in the 12th house by one degree (It is exact on the ascendant in the western part of Lansing, Bay City and Saginaw)

The ascendant is a personal point, and in mundane matters usually represents the general population. With the full moon in a subjective (12th) house, touching on the ascendant, and Jupiter in the First house in its own domicile (Sagittarius) and retrograde, one can expect a lot of “where did that come from” (12th house) energy, blown out of all real proportion and subject to heavy scrutiny by retrograde Jupiter.

These things don’t tell the whole story on their own though.

Mercury (translator, communicator) looks pretty innocuous in the 7th house in Cancer (3 degrees), until you realize that, on July 9, Mercury will go direct at 2 degrees of Cancer, after its retrograde transit.

The stations (places at which they change direction) of the inner planets (Mercury, Venus, and Mars) are points of great significance.

Mercury, having just crossed its station, is in a position of high power, and is in the house of relationships. Mercury’s retrograde transits are always about communication.

So lets add up the factors so far.

“Out of left field” energy, blown out of all proportion, while the communicator (Mercury) in the sign of sensitivity (Cancer) in the house of relationships (7th) is in a position of great power.

Can anybody say “relationship blow-ups”.
Add to this the power of the Nodes (a sense of destiny) exactly square to the ascendant of the chart, and there are some big, long-lasting blow-ups in the wind.

There is added pressure for those with significant planets around the 20 degree fixed mark, that pressure being applied by the Neptune/Chiron conjunction which opposes Saturn.

Mercury’s coming stations are at 11 degrees Cancer (June 15) and 2 degrees Cancer (July 9).

Mercury’s shadow period begins May 30. The issues that arise from here to June 14 will be the focus of mixed messages during the retrograde. The more clearly you deal with these issues in the first shadow, the less impact the retrograde will have for you. Ignore them at your peril. Issues that arise during the retrograde transit will tend towards resolution during the final shadow period, which begins July 9 and ends July 24.

Venus’ coming stations are at 2 degrees Virgo (July 27) and 16 degrees Leo (September 8). More about that later.

Take Care

Rod

Moon Opposite Neptune.

2006-10-28T01:08:00.000-04:00

Moon Opposite Neptune.

Objectivity? Of course I’m objective!! Just ask me any time, I’ll tell you how objective I am!! Nobody else can see it, but I can!!!

I’m playing a bit fast and loose here, (and probably at the expense of a friend or two) but you get the idea. What happens with Moon Neptune opposition is that an aspect that is supposed to deliver objectivity (opposition) can’t display said objectivity because of the players involved. (Neptune and Moon).

Your natal Moon is the basis of your emotion and intuition; and your natal Neptune is your sense of the abstract or intangible. When these two try to add perspective to teach other, the result is invariably emotional and mostly irrational, which is not to say it has to be a bad thing, but you REALLY need to be aware that, what appears to be rational to you is, in fact, irrational to everybody else.

The Neptune opp Moon people reflect deeply on their feelings and intuitions, feeling that they are getting a great handle on them. Unfortunately, the handle that Neptune provides is slippery and the result is often delusional in nature, which sends these folks back into further contemplation and so forth. Likewise, all abstract notions are filtered through the emotions, and so the apprehension of abstract concepts is changeable and volatile.

Are the above statements true for everyone with the aspect? No. But like all delineations, they provide some food for thought, and a language with which to approach the aspect. I know one person with this aspect who has it as part of a Grand Cross, where Sun conjunct Saturn is part of that cross. The Sun/Saturn conjunction forces this person to face reality at every turn, and so the lack of objectivity most often characterized by this placement is less obvious in that person’s life… however, it is still present.

On its upside, this aspect can supply great intuitive insight into abstract ideas, and can pull together emotional threads into an amorphous tapestry. This person’s heart soars with lofty abstract notions of divinity, and is captivated by deeply emotive imagery and music. While this person may have trouble communicating intuitions and insights in a purely rational manner, more creative endeavours such as abstract art, written fantasy, some forms of music, and some forms of theatre might be areas in which this person can find a tangible outlet for this otherwise difficult, and often dominant aspect between the chart’s two great intangibles, Neptune and Moon.

Opposition has a resonant orb of about 4.5 degrees, which means that when the orb of the aspect is less than 4.5, the aspect is usually something a person learns to live with, however if the aspect is between 4.5 and 9, the aspect is more likely to be problematic to the individual concerned.

When I see a problem with an aspect, I look at the house of the short midpoint (the midpoint of the acute angle) to see where this problem will manifest in the life of the individual, and the long midpoint (the midpoint of the obtuse angle) will usually provide a means for solving the problem, or at least, easing its impact.

The opposition is unique among aspects because its midpoints form the square aspect with each of the original planets. The square aspect is most often challenging, and so a problematic opposition is one of the most difficult of all aspects to integrate.

The nature of the Moon/Neptune opposition is such that criticism is usually taken very badly, and so the square midpoint transit, which will often precipitate criticism, makes the issue worse rather than better.

To the people who have a problem with this natal aspect and want to do something about it, I might suggest a couple of things.

On the opposition and conjunction of the transiting Moon to your natal Moon, learn to seek the counsel of a trusted friend (or mental health professional) to gain clarity about the objectivity of your emotional state. This is one issue that cannot be resolved on your own.

Be prepared, twice a month, for the criticisms that arise when the transiting Moon squares its natal position in your chart. You will feel criticized, regardless of the intention of the other party. You need to be aware that sometimes you’ll feel offended when there is no real cause for offence.

Take time at the sextile and trine aspects of the transiting Moon to your natal Moon to reinforce a positive image of yourself.

Be aware that emotional objectivity is not your strong suit, and learn to rely on trusted friends for HONEST feedback about emotional issues.

Take Care

Rod

Who in their right mind…?

2006-10-26T20:36:00.000-04:00

Would start an astrology blog at Mercury’s retrograde station.?

I would!!

I was born the day before Mercury went retrograde, and everything of real importance to me happens about then as well.

The chart isn’t great, but it isn’t hideous. Of course, the angles are inverted from my natal ones because I’m on the other side of the world in the other hemisphere, and to get the spread in the angles right, I’ve got to take them back-to-front.

This chart has Gemini rising, I have Sagittarius, this chart has Aquarius at the MC and I have Leo, so its kind of upside-down and back-to-front, which describes an Aussie’s experience in the USA pretty well. My first 5 minutes behind the wheel in this country still go down as one of the most terrifying moments of my life…

So, what’s the blog about and why did I set it up?

It occurs to me that I do astrology just a bit differently to most. One of the big differences is delineation of aspects and midpoints. So I’m going to go through aspects at random, as I run across them for one reason or another, and delineate them.

I expect there’ll be other astrological discussion as well… who knows, I might even venture a prediction or two.

So here it is

I hope we have fun

Take Care

Rod